It never fails that every week, actually almost every day, someone asks me what motivates me. What inspires me to run, to run for hours, to run for hours up mountain trails? For me it is certainly the freedom that I feel, but aside from that wonderful feeling I also feel strong and empowered because I can propel myself up a mountain when I want to, simply because I WANT to.  I always feel like having that kind of strength will transfer over to the things I "have to" do. While carrying the laundry basket isn't nearly as inspiring, it is nice to be able to complete a mundane task like that, sometimes with a child on top, with minimal effort. I can remember a time not too long ago when I had to carry an 80 lb dog home from a walk because she was injured. Now that certainly was more challenging but thankfully due to a strong body and a "can do" attitude I was able to get her home. The  mental strength you gain from knowing you can run up a mountain is right on par with the physical strength you gain. If you want something badly enough and you are willing to work for it, then you will achieve it. If by chance you don't achieve your goal, then at worst you will know what good hard work feels like. When you are climbing that proverbial mountain you have to keep your mind open. You have to say to yourself everyday "I accept the challenge" to complete my workouts, even if they look daunting and difficult. That is part of the fun and that is what will make you better than you were the day before. Sometimes I have workouts on my schedule from my coach (yes, I have a coach) and I look at them and wonder why...but then I know that she has a plan which means my job is to do the work! I try to avoid telling too many personal stories because no one really wants to hear about me but I like to share this one with you as a reminder what you can achieve when you just allow yourself to follow the plan.

In college I was told to write down 10 life goals. Of course I wrote down "complete the Ironman triathlon". This could have meant any Ironman because I was not specific, but in my mind I meant the one in Hawaii, the World Championships. I told a few coaches about this little dream and was laughed at and told "good luck"! At the time I found their responses very discouraging. I also found them somewhat motivating. A few years later I asked Scott Murr at Furman what I should do and he connect

ed me with a local pro triathlete who agreed to coach me. After meeting me the first thing I was told was to loose some weight! Thankfully, I can still laugh about that.  Then he watched me swim and found that I was such a poor swimmer it would be better for 

me to get out of the pool and start over, which I did. At 27 years old I learned how to swim all over again. I learned how to swim all the different strokes and I learned how to do a real workout in the pool. Every week I would get my workout schedule andthink there was no way I could complete all those workouts, but I had a goal and a dream and no matter how bad it hurt I was going to do those workouts because EVERY workout was one step closer to my goal. I learned a lot about myself, lost a few pounds, and became a stronger athlete and person during that year. I would love to tell you that after a year I qualified, but I didn't. Instead I quit my day job and worked even harder for another year and got to experience one of the happiest moments of my life - crossing that finish line in Kona. 

 

Embrace the work. Follow the plan. Achieve your goals.