Sunday morning and the Sun is shining. The grass is still wet from the morning dew and the initial chill is starting to disappear. We've all got our numbers on our shirts and our headphones in our ears. Now we just have to warm up and get ready for the start of the race. Everyone's warm-up is different. Some people jog up and down the street, some people stretch by themselves and some people get ready with a group of friends. Either way, the countdown to the race is on everyone's mind.
How will I finish? Will I hit the wall too early? Will I trip on a rock and eat shit? Will the cramps get so bad I have to stop and walk? All these questions flood through my mind in the minutes before the race. It doesn't matter though, once that gun goes off and the race starts my mind becomes clear. I can only hear the music in my ears and the sound of my feet as they hit the pavement. In through my nose, out through my mouth. Cramps are going to come and muscle fatigue will try to show it's ugly face. Thoughts about stopping will crowd the gate to my mind and fight to get inside. None of that matters.
Music in my ears and the rhythm of my stride are the only things I'm concentrating on. As long as that rhythm doesn't get slower I'm in good shape. I don't worry too much about the people around me or what place I'll finish. Every now and then I'll see a certain runner that I have to get in front of, either a much older person or anyone I feel I'm better than. Those are just some of the motivators that keep me from walking. And to me, that's the most important thing.
On a certain level it just proves to me that I didn't give up. I kept running for the whole race. I didn't slow down and I sprinted across the finish line. Yea I felt like throwing up when it was over but that's the idea. You have to give it your all. You've heard the saying before, "Leave it all out on the field." Well in my case, it's leave it all out on the course.
You need that in your life. Something you can do and do it all the way. You have to push yourself to max to find out what you're made of. It doesn't have to be running or biking or anything physical for that matter. It has to be something you can gauge your performance on and something that will push you to perform at your best. For me, it's running in competitive races. No, I don't come in first but I push my limits and leave it all out there. And I feel a hell of a lot better for it.
So get out there and find your "race" and push your limits further than you ever have before. You'll be surprised what you'll capable of. It also makes you feel better about doing some of the things you might not be proud of. After the race this morning, I took my sweaty undercarriage to nearest 7-11 and got a Hand-job for a Ham Sandwich from the bum outside. I'll tell you what; after running an 8K, I felt pretty good about it.
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