It Never Gets Easier. But You Get Stronger.

For most of my life, I never considered myself an athlete. It wasn’t that I didn’t love sports, but in high school I was somewhat of a benchwarmer. Last year, I decided to change that - I didn’t set out to become Usain Bolt overnight, but I told myself that taking up running would do wonders for both my physical and mental health. That’s what everyone says, right? So, there had to be some truth to it. I couldn’t wait to get out on the trail, feel the wind in my hair, and experience the famous ‘runner’s high.’ 

Well, of course, things didn’t start out so blissful. When I first started, I swear… it was the hardest thing I’d ever done. With every step, every time my feet hit the pavement, there was pain. And not just a little twinge, either. It was grueling, sweat-dripping, chest-heaving pain. 

I persevered, though. As I continued, I expected the process to get easier. I thought I’d feel like I was flying, the soreness would stop - maybe, even the sweat would ease up! Unfortunately for me, that never happened. I continued to struggle to get up every morning (no one likes the sound of the alarm clock at 5am), and I still felt burnt out after every workout. And I mean every single one. I kept going, though. Even without results that I could see, because I knew the activity was good for me. 

A few months after feeling that initial defeat, I looked at my activities on Strava and noticed something that surprised me. My running time on the trail had been steadily decreasing, which meant I’d been getting faster without even noticing! 

As soon as I learned that, I realized that I was passing up people who were smoking me a few months ago. I almost couldn’t believe it. I’d been so concentrated on feeling the burn (the not-so-pleasant burn, admittedly) that I hadn’t realized how much I’d improved. 

I had been looking at it all wrong. Pain and difficulty will always be a part of the workout process. That’s simply a fact of life. But the results of that pain are very, very real - and very, very much worth the effort. 

I won’t sit here and say that I now love the sound of my alarm going off at 5am. I do not, and I don’t think I ever will. It’s still difficult to get up every morning and go run (especially when it’s chilly outside), but I do it - and I’ve learned to embrace it. 

One thing that helps me get by is the aid of performance supplements. My personal favorite is the Protekt Resilient Vitamin Tincture - a blend of B12, D3 and K2. It helps me stay healthy and it supports my body in more ways than one; it assists both the nervous and circulatory systems, and makes for all-around wellness. I still need to take care of myself, after all. 

Along with performance supplements, I continue to watch my food intake and keep a healthy sleep schedule. Supplements aren’t a fast-acting dose of magic (though it’s fun to think of them as such). I also have to do my part in supporting my body for what it is and what it can do. 

Now, when I’m out on the trail, yes - the pain is still there. But now, it’s accompanied by more speed, visible results, and the great feeling of knowing that I’m improving all the time. 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Protekt products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.