"I'll Catch Up"

I hadn't hiked in almost a year.  A lazy year where I spent most of my time on the couch, finishing up my first novel and growing more and more lethargic.  It got to the point where I could almost feel my muscles turning to mush.  So when my husband suggested we get out of the house and put our severely neglected hiking boots to use, I agreed.   We picked a middle-of-the-road trail that wasn't too terribly strenuous yet still promised amazing views.  But for someone like me, who every morning felt chastised by the stupid Fitbit I'd abandoned on my nightstand months ago, it was a nightmare.  A mere half of a mile in, my legs were rubber.  Muscles I'd never felt before burned.  Even my toenails ached.  (My toenails!)  There were moments (a lot of moments) when I didn't think I'd make it to the top.  "Go on, I'll catch up," was my mantra to Chris. 
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I'LL CATCH UP.
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Not, "I'm done."  Not, "I quit."  Not, "You go on and I'll wait for you here, where I plan to curl up on this giant rock and die."
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Nope.  It was I'LL CATCH UP.
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It was rough.  The trek was hard and the climb was excruciating.  But I made it.  I made it because I didn't give up.
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And that view from the top?  It was so damn worth it. 
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Don't be afraid to go slow.  Don't be afraid to take breaks, to pause and catch your breath.  Don't feel bad for having to CATCH UP. 
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Just don't GIVE UP.