Challenging my Limits….From New York to Myrtle Beach to Directing Quintiles WB to Boston.
It has been awhile since I have been able to sit down and write, #1 because I am not much of a writer, and #2 busy is a calm word for the last few months. I knew back in September that coaching 100+ athletes, training for New York, Myrtle Beach, Directing Quintiles, training for Boston, and relaxing was going to be a challenge. But the challenges we face are what makes life fun and interesting. Finding balance is the key. Finding balance is what also keeps me fresh enough to stay positive and try to practice what I preach. It is a mindset that has to be worked on daily, just like anything you want to be good at….you have to practice THINKING….you have to want to always be better. Even fitting in a few games of bowling once a week with good friends just helps clear the mind and put away the phone/email for a few hours. Balance Right? And yes BOWING!
I loved Matthew McConaughey’s speech recently, it sums up my mindset about setting goals, not limits and puts into words what I believe about my journey.
“And to my hero. That’s who I chase. Now when I was 15 years old, I had a very important person in my life come to me and say “who’s your hero?”
And I said, “I don’t know, I gotta think about that. Give me a couple of weeks.” I come back two weeks later, this person comes up and says “who’s your hero?” I said, “I thought about it. You know who it is? It’s me in 10 years.” So I turned 25. Ten years later, that same person comes to me and says, “So, are you a hero?” And I was like, “not even close. No, no, no.” She said, “Why?” I said, “Because my hero’s me at 35.” So you see every day, every week, every month and every year of my life, my hero’s always 10 years away. I’m never gonna be my hero. I’m not gonna attain that. I know I’m not, and that’s just fine with me because that keeps challenged to keep on chasing.”
Now all of this isn’t being done because I want to show the world how busy I am. No No No….it is to meet personal and professional goals I have set for myself. It is to reach new limits, to teach myself how to deal with adversity outside and inside. After dealing with headwinds I did not reach my time goal in New York, but was proud of my effort. Leading up to Myrtle Beach I ran Charleston and again ran into 20mph headwinds. At Myrtle Beach I had my first marathon win, and I finished the last 8 miles in 25 to 30 mile per hour heads winds. haha, i mean seriously…..I missed a goal of mine by 5 seconds…breaking 2:30:00.
I felt like I gave a solid effort in MB, an effort that is tough to give every day because of the mental and physical exhaustion. After Myrtle Beach Marathon I went right into Quintiles WB Marathon planning. This event takes 100% of my focus, there is so much to do and so many details to make sure are perfect. The physical and mental adrenalin take over and we go days with very little sleep and high stress.
The week after QWB, I am basically falling asleep on runs, trying to get my body back again because Boston is only 4 weeks away. Every day, every run is a battle in my head….I don’t want to go today, but when I finally lace up the shoes and go, I begin to find that 10th wind and get it done. March 23rd weekend (the weekend after Quintiles) I went to Greenville and ran 22 miles with a good friend….and he helped me stay strong throughout the run. The next week I conquered 10 x 1000 alone with 20 mile per hour winds swirling on the track.
After these last 4 months, I know I am being prepared mentally and physically to get to the next level in my life. 10 years ago I wanted to be the person I am now, but now I want to be the person I will be in 10 years. Just like Mr. McConaughy said. I am constantly striving for new limits, and when I break those….bring on the new ones. Why not right? What can we do to make our nation, and our world a better place….give people something positive to strive for….create new limits for people, new challenges, challenges that actually help the human population, not hurt us.
Without Limits is my expression of this mindset, my hope is that people can keep striving to be the next best THEM. What will that take?