Taking credit where credit is due

If there's one thing I've learned from going to the gym, it's that I'm capable of great things. More than I ever would have dreamed.

But when you have the sort of on-again, off-again relationship with the gym that I have, you forget these things. Last February, when I was at the gym regularly, I met my first major goals. And then something funny happened.

I stopped going.

It was as though I'd forgotten the point of it all. I'd climbed halfway up the mountain, stuck my flag in the snow, and went home. How anti-climactic.

Now, I find myself at the base of the mountain again. Not only do I need to meet those goals again, but I need to learn to set new ones.

The worst part is that I don't remember meeting those goals in the first place.

Over the winter, I was diligently logging my routines. Every time I got off the treadmill, I recorded my distance and time into RunKeeper. I appreciated the congratulatory emails the system sent to me every time I set a new personal record, and there was something enjoyable about seeing all those dates in a row, showing when I went to the gym. It's like having my very own grown-up star chart.

Speaking of which, I recommend making one of those. Bet you'll surprise yourself with how badly you want to put another star on the calendar. Nobody is immune.

The best part about having a tracking program is having proof of what I've done. I logged in tonight to record my 15:15 mile (over which there was much rejoicing) and I happened to look back to February.

Much to my surprise, I was awesome. Do you know, I was running two miles at a time? Five days a week? I'd forgotten.

It's easy to forget what you're capable of when you're not paying attention. Don't let yourself forget.