The Race

      About three years ago I ran my first half marathon. I was just starting on the path of being a runner because I felt I needed to do something to stay active and in shape. I also wanted to do something that would push me towards a goal and to keep motivated to work towards so I signed up for the half marathon.  About a week before the race I went out on a Saturday and went for a 10 mile run, the longest run I had done up to that point ever in my life. I hadn't even run 13.1 miles before the race. I felt like if I could get to that 10 mile mark I could finish the half marathon since it was only 3 more miles.

     The day of the race came and it started early, like 6:00 in the morning so I had to be at the bus loading area at like 4:00 because they had to bus us up the canyon we were running down. I remember being nervous and excited all at the same time, have you ever felt that way before? Well the race started and I was off to a great start running down this beautiful canyon up in the rocky mountains in Utah. I was really feeling good and just enjoying the experience, but then I got to about mile 9 and I started feeling fatigue set in. I still had 4 miles to go. I had to decide that I was going to keep pushing through the fatigue and pain I was feeling in my legs and keep going. I'll admit I did walk a little but I kept going, I kept telling myself that I could do this and that I needed to finish this race or I would regret it all my life. I very vividly remember getting to the last half mile or so and just getting this boost of adrenaline, I started to speed up and pick up momentum. I remember coming to the last 0.1 mile and had to come around this corner to see the finish line and there were runners walking that last 0.1 mile, but I  went even faster because I could see the finish line, it was in sight. I ran and poured all the energy I had left in me to finish strong across that finish line. The emotion of what I felt that day as I crossed that finish line is still very vivid today. Even as I am writing those same emotions are coming back to me again. The emotion of accomplishment I felt and the rush of mixed feelings of wanting to cry and laugh at the same time. Have you ever accomplished something that was very difficult and when you look back at what you did you get so much pride and feeling of holy crap I just did that? That is what I felt after that first half marathon. I shed a few tears of gratitude for being done, I stretched, and then I went and ate Kneaders french toast, the best french toast I think I had ever tasted up to that point in my life. 

     So why tell this race story? I tell it because I know you feel like there are things you don't think you can do but you can. I learned that day that I could do things that might push me past my own abilities. The mind is a powerful thing and if we can just learn to tell ourselves we can accomplish hard things and keep going then the results can be very rewarding and once something has been done once it give you momentum and allows you to have more confidence to accomplish even more. Its just like when everyone thought it was impossible to break a 4:00 minute mile, then someone finally did it and showed everyone that it could be done and now a number of people have broken the 4:00 minute mile. To accomplish something amazing it will take work and time and sometimes you won't go as fast as you want to, but there are ways to find the strength and momentum to keep going. Don't ever give up until you reach the finish line. So what are some of the big goals you want to accomplish in your life, what kind of momentum or motivation do you need to get there? Here are 3 things I would suggest you do to get going. 

1. Make a list of the big goals you want to accomplish in life. It can be anything, just write them down so you can see what they are.

2. Once you have the list take a look at them and see what you need to get them. Maybe you need to start working out, or to find ways to make more income. Write down those ideas next to the goals you want to go work on. You may need to start to just write things out to get your mind thinking of what you can do to accomplish that goal.

3. Just start working at it. Start to set action steps each day to work on it. Any little action step will start to help you get there, but make sure it is an action step related to that goal specifically. If you want to lose weight, don't set an action step that you are going to get through season on Netflix. Make sure it relates to the end result you want to accomplish and then schedule time into your day to make it happen. If it is not scheduled in then you won't make time for it.

Now go out and start working on getting those goals, I know you can do it. The goal is there waiting for you to just go get it.

To your success,

Adam 

 Quotes (follow Arise to Connect on Instagram for more quotes)