Sunday, November 3, 2013

EARN YOUR SPOT


For the second year in a row, I ran in the annual Rockville 10K in Rockville, MD. This is the race's 38th year. In fact, it's the oldest race in Montgomery County. Since April of 2012, I've been committed to running at least 3 times a week along with my supplementary training. I've run in rain, sleet, snow, heat, humidity, wind and extreme cold. I never allowed the weather to be a factor. Mind you, there was a time when I absolutely despised running. On the days that I didn't run, I literally would be furious with myself. Why? Because I felt like I broke a commitment to myself. A commitment that required me to push myself to the limit and remain consistent in my quest to remain fit, but moreover to remain a champion. On those missed days,  I felt like someone was either coming for my spot or they had already taken it. I realized that I had to earn my spot daily. 

During the race I saw people from all walks of life, in all shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. I saw breast cancer survivors, young runners, old runners, tall runners, short runners, novice runners and professional runners. As we all warmed up, took our mark and rushed out the gate there was a collective enthusiasm and confidence that filled the air. We all had something to prove, but we didnt know exactly what we had to prove. See, this race wasnt like grade school where you compete against the person next to you. This race wasnt about competing against the clock or the course. This race was and is about competing against whats inside of you and the race you run everyday is about earning your spot. 

Earning your spot is having the courage, vision and work ethic to push yourself to do things just because. Earning your spot is about ignoring the elements and opinions you cant change and finding a way to shed your old skin as much as you need to shed it. Earning your spot is about making less announcements and producing more results in your way and in your time. Earning your spot is about inviting a certain level of discomfort into your life knowing that regardless of the pain, the force and moments of temporary convenience that comes with it, you will get better. Earning your spot is about being a finisher not just a participant. Earning your spot is GROWTH. 

So as you take your mark today, remember that the spot you haven't work for will never be reserved and the spot you think you deserve is on someone else's radar and within their reach and can be occupied at any given time. There's no need to talk about what you're about to do. There's only a need to go above & beyond what youre capable of doing. 

Re-introduce
Re-invent
Re-commit

Earn your spot. Every second, every minute, every hour. 

REBOUND. RESET. RELEASE.