Motivation Monday: I Run This Beach

Thanks to Skechers for sponsoring this post!

I thought of the title for this post as I was sweating my way down the Ocean Beach Pier this morning, but in the effort of full transparency: I jogged this beach and collapsed into a sweaty, gasping mess the moment I returned to my front steps. 

Did I mention this was a 2.5 mile run?

Needless to say, I'm a little out of shape. The move, school, work... all of it has taken its toll and rendered me completely useless in the fitness department. But with the move over last week and school ending this past weekend, I woke up and realized I had no excuse. 

More importantly, I had a reason. 

Earlier this summer, I lost my way a little bit with this blog. At one point, I posted a Motivation Monday post about a fitness product that I had never even used, and it stressed me out for weeks. That's when I promised myself I would never put something on this blog again unless I had actually tested it and stood by it. 

But this morning, I was tempted to break that promise. I had agreed to partner with Skechers on a campaign to help promote their new Awareness line of running and walking sneakers, a line that supports a cause I am very passionate about: breast cancer awareness.

I wanted to share these adorable sneakers and get the word out about Skechers' partnership with the American Cancer Society, but honestly? I didn't feel like running. 

After a few minutes of feeling guilty, both for thinking about posting without actually testing the shoes and for not running when I knew I needed to get some exercise in, I dragged myself out of bed, pulled them on, grabbed my phone and left the house without another thought. I needed to go for this run. So, much to my body's surprise, I did. 

Two minutes into the run, I came out of my daze and realized what was happening to me. I was running. Running in my new neighborhood, in my new sneakers. Running for the first time in months. Running before work. Running because I could. 

Little known fact? Last year, I realized that that is the reason I run: because someday I won't be able to. Because there are some people, some amazing women out there, who wish they could run and can't. And so I run for them. I run for them the same way that I walked 60 miles for them last fall. I run and I try to appreciate what my body can do today and what I'm doing for it by taking it out for a spin. 

As for the sneakers themselves, the feel of the GOrun 3s were new for me. I'm so used to chunky heels on my running shoes and don't normally run in something this lightweight and minimalistic. For that reason, at one point, I was really worried that they were going to give me sore arches. I mean really, any new sneakers tend to hurt my feet until I break them in. But not these puppies. They felt like they were made for my foot from the moment I headed out. Turns out they actually have a 4mm heel drop to simulate a barefoot experience... probably the reason they felt so natural to me from the start.

Running through my new neighborhood, I was so distracted by all the new sights and roads that I barely even noticed how out of breath I was. There was a man playing the harmonica in his car, bums were sitting on the beach making their signs for the day. Surfers pulled on wetsuits in the parking lot and a skateboarder fished off the pier. A woman in jeans did stair sprints and out in the distance, a stand-up paddleboarder floated around. OB is such a lively, colorful community and seeing it at dawn let me experience a whole new side of that. 

Running down the last block before my house, I thought about how good it felt to finally have gotten out for a run, to have finally run in my new neighborhood, to have not broken my promise to myself, and to be partnering with Skechers for such a great cause (100% of the proceeds of these shoes go to the ACS!). Even though I could barely breathe, I still felt great and truly motivated to try to make this a daily thing. Because I want to be healthy, sure, but as always, just because I can, while I can.

And you should too. Grab your sneakers, get out there, and run. Because you can. Because others can't. That should always be motivation enough.