Do you remember that line from the movie “The Matrix” (Youtube link)?
The terms blue pill and red pill have become a popular metaphor for the choice between the blissful ignorance of illusion (blue) and embracing the sometimes painful truth of reality (red). – Wikipedia
I got to thinking about red pills and blue pills today because I took a Nyquil pill last night for some allergies. 
It looks just like the blue pill from the movie. Nyquil makes me very sleepy, well into the next day. I blew off my normal Sunday morning run because I was feeling so sluggish. After going to church and out to lunch, I still didn’t feel like running. I made all kind of excuses why I should just skip running today altogether: “I’m still too sleepy. I ate too much for lunch. I am working full time, and it’s just too hard to keep up a decent training volume. I’ll never get back into shape. So why bother trying. Blah blah blah blah blah. “
I finally made myself head out the door to run at 3:30pm. Those negative thoughts were still going through my mind. I was expecting a crappy workout. I was still feeling very tired from the Nyquil. And then I started to convince myself that I can’t possibly expect to get back to my former speed while working full time. That I need to just accept where I am now, and be okay with it.
Then I thought, I’m not going to let a stupid little blue pill ruin my workout. That made me think of the movie. And that the blue pill excuse I was inventing in my mind was the easy way out. The way to just be lazy and accept things as they are and use working full time as an excuse to not working hard at my training.
The red pill is the path of pain and hard work – it represents the blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to achieve great results.
I choose the red pill. Bring It.
BTW, had a great run once I started thinking about the red pill 🙂
yeah i know what you mean. when i go for a run i just think of it being a fairytale. maybe it’s the blue pill pulling me out of the fairlyale, just like the red pill pulls me out of the matrix, happy beans make me run faster, which is why im going to take up your attitude and think like a red witch, and wee out of rusty bananas. oh and by the way, little huge golden trees need red bull to get the wings running.
Nice job pushing through. I hate how nyquill makes me fill especially if you need it a couple of days.
My favorite “excuse” is “maybe my body is telling me I need to rest today”. That is what a little fear of getting injured will do, that sneaky little brain will do anything sometimes eh?
Great post. Negative thoughts sometimes get the better of me. I’m too slow or I’ll never be a good swimmer, etc… I gotta remember the red pill 🙂
That’s why I do my best to just take the physical actions (changing clothes, putting on running shoes, etc) no matter what my brain is saying. Once I start the run or ride I feel great, but have often “talked” myself out of starting.
Good job and great attitude. Working makes it more difficult but not impossible. You’re back in the game, keep it up.
Great job on your run!
My allergies are going crazy today too! Kudos on the great run despite the allergens.