“Our running shoes are really erasers. Every step erases a memory of a past failure. Every mile brings us closer to a clean slate. Each foot strike rubs away a word, a look, or an event that led us to believe that success was beyond our grasp.”
– John Bingham 

Today is March 1. The beginning of the dreaded month of March.  *Sigh*

March and I have issues that go way back.  For some reason, it seems that notable negative things always seem to happen in my life in this particular month.  And every year I brace myself once again for what seems to inevitably be in store for me.  And even if nothing in particular ends up happening, the awful month still looms there, filled with unwanted anniversaries from the past.

But not this year.  This year is different.  This year I have a secret weapon.  Or, as John Bingham likes to call them – erasers.

This March, I’m a runner.

I started running in April of last year, so March will be the end of a full year of running.  I hate to sound like I’m patting myself on the back here, but I am so freakin’ proud of me.  As someone who has very little patience, running has taught me that the best things sometimes really do take time.  I, like most people, want what I want and I want it NOW.  That is not an option in running.   Running requires patience.  In fact, it demands it.  It’s an endless process of slow, arduous transformation.  And the more I run, the more I realize that process doesn’t just apply to my leg muscles.  It’s a transformation of your mind.  It’s a realization that you really are capable of great things, if you’ll only put forth the time and effort required.  Little by little, day by day.

“Running is about the slow and painful process of being the best you can be. That’s why the first step out the door is always so hard.  That’s when we choose between settling for average and being a superhero version of ourselves.”
– Martin Dugard

I didn’t realize it at the time, but in April of 2012, I made the choice to be a superhero version of myself.  And I continue to make that choice over and over again every time I lace up.

So, you know what?  Bring it on, silly ol’ March.  There’s nothing you can do to me anymore.  I’m a superhero now.

“My runs always remind me of what life is; always putting one foot in front of the other, even when I’m exhausted. It’s about running up the hill, however daunting, and congratulating myself for not stopping. Life, like running, is about getting up and pushing on ahead, even if I’ve tripped on a pothole. It’s about keeping the rhythm and setting a pace. It’s about minding my injuries and allowing myself time to heal, but not letting injuries get the best of me. Running is like life; it is a glorious, albeit sometimes painful, act of always moving forward.”
– Luci L. Creery