Week T-209 – The Goal Wasn’t the Hard Part
The week is halfway over, and so far, so good.
At the beginning of the week, 10,000 steps a day felt like a huge milestone. It seemed like one of those goals that would take everything I had just to reach. Surprisingly, every day so far I’ve hit it. Not easily, but I’ve hit it.
The biggest challenge hasn’t been motivation. It’s been Texas.
It’s hot. It’s humid. Most days I’m wearing slacks and, more often than not, a long-sleeve shirt for work. I’m also trying to walk everywhere I can. Park farther away. Take the stairs. Walk between buildings instead of driving. Those extra steps add up, but so does the sweat. If I’m not careful, the walk through a parking garage feels like stepping into a sauna.
That’s not exactly the professional look I’m going for.
It has led to some entertaining conversations, though.
“Why are you so sweaty?” is probably the question I hear the most.
Or after climbing a few flights of stairs and trying to quietly catch my breath…
“You okay?”
I just laugh and explain what I’m doing.
Those conversations remind me that this journey isn’t happening in secret. People are noticing. Some are curious. Some think I’m a little crazy. A few are even inspired.
The truth is, this is exactly what training should feel like. It’s inconvenient. It’s uncomfortable. It doesn’t fit neatly into everyday life. You find ways to make it work anyway.
The Appalachian Trail won’t care if it’s hot. It won’t care if I’m tired. It certainly won’t care whether walking is convenient.
So today, every sweaty shirt, every flight of stairs, and every parking lot is part of preparing for that day.
Forward still counts.