I have a confession. I sometimes use the Internet as a Magic
8 Ball. In case you are wondering, let me explain to you how it works. You type
something into Google like, “Will I get in to PT school?” or “Should I run a
marathon?” and then you wait for the answer. COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS! I know.
It’s just the honest truth, and putting it out there allows me to stop, laugh
at myself, and NEVER DO IT AGAIN! ;)
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| Our choices aren't always clear-cut! |
I’m mostly joking, but I guess the harsh cold reality is
this: accepting responsibility for your own choices is intimidating. In fact,
I’ve met a lot of people who never get to that place of acceptance, and they
continue to shift blame or play the role of victim for their entire lives. I
don’t want to be that person, but I also don’t want to be paralyzed by the fear
of making the wrong choice. Like it or not, wrong choices are a part of who we
are, and if we allow it, they’ll teach us and bring growth and achievement like
we’ve never known. This brings me to reason 4,287 why I love running; there
are no wrong choices.
I’m convinced that running builds confidence because there
really are no wrong choices. For example, if you decide to run 5 miles, and you
don’t quite make it, you can simply stop or walk. If you’re feeling good, you
can speed up or add distance. The liberty to choose inspires confidence because
you see where your mind can take you! Armed with this knowledge, and the
incredible support of family, friends, and coworkers, I chose to run the 2012
Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon yesterday, in spite of an injury. Ultimately,
here’s what I had to do.
I let go. I let go of my expectations, others’ expectations,
my time goals, my desire to prove something, etc. and I simply did it. And you
know what? I DID IT! I ran a marathon. I ran a marathon completely unprepared
in terms of training, with less than three hours of sleep, and a hurt foot. You
know why I was able to do it? Because yesterday’s accomplishment had nothing to
do with running. As I’ve said in earlier posts, I have the rest of my life to
be a runner. There will be dozens of other races and dozens of differing
athletic opportunities, but yesterday was my day to make a choice: to make a
choice and commit to it whole-heartedly, trusting myself, and believing that I
was in control of the outcome.
I just can’t finish this post without a few expressions of
gratitude. At the end of the day, no one can run for you; however, I can’t
describe to you how wonderful it feels to know that other people believe in
you. I would never be the person that I am today, nor would I be the person I
am becoming, without the support of so many incredible people. To all those in
my life who have the courage to truly live what they believe: thank you. Your
actions have spoken louder than your words, and I can only hope I am learning
from your example!
