Is it worth it?

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I know, I know, I know.... it's been forever since I last blogged (that wasn't a product review or a recipe) but I've felt slightly off kilter lately.  I'm not sure where to go with the blog now that I've reached my goal weight and I don't want to publish something for the sake of publishing something.  However, I've had this thought rolling around in my head since Weight Watchers launched this new routine this month.  I think that the question "is it worth it?" is so universal - not just in weight loss.

This photo is totally relevant - I swear!

Most of my thinking about this subject happens when I'm running and I want to quit.  I know that I've got a race on the horizon (just over 5 weeks away) so I know how important each training session is.  There are times when I am running that there is a voice in my head that tells me it's okay to quit or to walk a little while I catch my breath.  Then I think, is it worth it?  The answer is always yes, the run is definitely worth it.

I know that completing the half marathon will not be easy.  I mean, remember this photo?  Yeah, that part of the half marathon kind of sucked despite Barbara's best efforts to keep my spirits up and my feet moving.  I know that I will get to a point where I want to quit but I also know that I won't quit.  The only thing that will get me through those moments is the training that I am doing right now.  So yes, these training runs are worth it.  No matter how much things hurt or how tired I am I just have to keep moving.

Today I had a tempo run on my plan.  This meant I would warm up by running 1 mile, run 3 miles at a defined pace (8:47/mi), then cool down.  During the warm up I realized that my legs were already tired but I was hoping that the farther I'd get that they would loosen up a bit.  Luckily they did and during the first mile of the tempo pace I felt good.  About half way through the tempo mile I felt alright and when the third tempo mile started I could feel myself fading.  My Garmin kept me on pace but I kept thinking that once the tempo miles were done that I'd pause for a few seconds to drink some water and maybe even walk a little.  Then I thought... Is that really worth it?  All I had left was the cool down and I knew that as long as I kept moving that I'd finish sooner.  I just kept thinking that I'd run the next block and then do a head-to-toe check and figure out if I wanted/could continue running.  Turns out - I could keep running and I did keep running.  The feeling at the end of the run was amazing.

I looked back at my training to find out how long it took me to run 5 miles.  The first time I ran that full distance was when I was training with Team Challenge for the Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon.  The run took me 56:10 and today I covered the same distance in 44:53 ... yep.  Definitely worth it.

When do you question "is it worth it"?  Was it?