The Race is Won By Running

Do you have a motto or a saying that you like to live by or refer to when times get tough? When I'm working out, it is easy for me to hit a plateau. Often, when I set out for a run more than 3 miles, I will hit a brick wall. When I was marathon training, it never failed that at mile 18, I ALWAYS hit a wall. Self doubt creeps in and immediately, the rest of my body wants to fail. My lungs gasp, my legs ache, and even my eyes start to play tricks on me.

But then I remember the words my father spoke to me when I was much, much younger. I was 4th grade competing in track. I was never fast, well not fast like some of my peers. Certainly, I wasn't as fast as my sister was when we were younger. And let's face it, I was really clumsy! One particular practice, my father recognized defeat in me. He told me a story of a race and those finals words stuck with me:

The race is won by running.
There is no other way.
If you keep on running, you may win some day.

So simple and so true in many facets of life. They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. That is true for any task, great or small. Every race I run, I take note of the first step and tell myself, "Ok Bianca, you've started this, now you best be sure to finish it." I won't win any marathons. However, starting the journey is the first part.

If you are struggling with your health and you just don't know where to start, start small. Just go for a walk around your block and next time see if you can go around the block twice. Forget about your speed. Forget about the negative energy and the bad thoughts like, "Well, I'm not running" or "I can't even do a mile." You'll get there, but start small and work your way up. You'll discover that one of the best gifts you can give yourself is health. The quiet time to reflect, breathe oxygen into your body, and get going is amazing!

Now go out there and run YOUR race!