I ran my first and only marathon at age 52. I will admit that I hate running; while I am a fitness enthusiast running is not on that list of “loves”!
My WHY – like I said, I don’t like (I think I said “hate”) running. But I committed to help raise money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which afflicts young boys and for which there is no cure. I was able to raise $7500 in the process.
Once anchored in your WHY, it serves as a catalyst to achieving any goal you have.
Beyond my WHY, there were so many other benefits that served as the deeper meaning for me from tackling such a daunting goal, like running a marathon.
Discipline – anyone who has run a marathon knows you don’t just wake up one day and say, “I think I’ll run 26.2 miles today!” It is a 3+ month rigorous training schedule that you can’t fake. You have to put the work in. No matter if it’s raining, or 90 degrees and humid, the work has to get done.
Mindset – you MUST go into this with a strong belief system in yourself. Say “I got this” every day for the entire training period and throughout the marathon if you have to.
Overcoming adversity – I tore my hamstring one month before the marathon while training. I sought an immediate remedy in acupuncture, rested entirely for the last month, then woke up on Marathon morning and ran 26.2 miles without stopping.
Integrity – I committed to my dear friend that I would support his cause. Regardless of the injury, which would have been an “easy out”, I wouldn’t let him down. I had to stick to my word…
Encouragement from those who support you – my family was 100% behind my efforts, and all three of my kids and my wife were in the grandstand at the finish line. My sister and brother cheered me on along the route at three different points. There was no way I wasn’t finishing this race.
