Limitless

I can run a 5k, because it exists and I know people who have done them.  I can run a 22k, because once I got lost and ended up running 13.1 miles.  So, I know I am capable of that.  My friend Kevin bailed on a triathlon and talked me in to doing it.  I showed up and won.  I am capable of that.  I am training for an Ironman and I know that I am capable of this because, well, I decided that I am.
Our lives are limitless, if we choose to view it that way.  If you can imagine it, is is possible.  The word impossible is really just a way of saying, "I am not strong enough."  I would like to think that I live a life with out limits.  Once I have conquered one thing, and the limit has been pushed, I change the limit.  Because what is life if it's stagnant?  What would happen if everything was mediocre?  What if you raced that same race, with the same effort and same result as the many before?  Would you settle for that?
As we go through our lives and we challenge ourselves, we test our limits.  We discover that it wasn't impossible.  Rather, it was just another one of life's little tests.  We overcome and we redefine "limit."  We find that we never really had a limit, because our lives are limitless.

What's yours?

Last Sunday, I headed off to Mission Trails for a run with one of my Hi-Tech Bikes teammates.  Of course, he is an awesome runner and I am well, less awesome(injury involved).  The first time we headed off on a run, I let him know that I might not be able to push it because of my strained tendon in my foot.  He was understanding and I ended up doing pretty well considering.  So, last Sunday I showed up and I let him know that I was still congested from a cold I had a week ago.  And he looks at me and asks in all honesty, "Is that your excuse today?"  A fire built up inside me and I had a great run, knowing that my excuse didn't matter.  At all. 
We all head to our runs, rides, swims, gym work outs with an excuse in mind.  Don't lie.  You have one.  Mine tend to vary.  I like to mix it up, I guess.  Right now I go from a hurt foot, to being fatigued, working too much, that time of the month, no energy, no time, I'll give more tomorrow.  My training suffers because of my excuses.  I am so glad that my teammate asked me this question.  "Is that your excuse today?"  Since he asked me that, I have shown up with no excuses.  Not one. 
So, I challenge you to admit your excuse.  Conquer it and kick it out of your life.  The more time and effort you spend allowing your excuse to win, the less time you will spend training.  What is your excuse today?  And to that I say, "What excuse?  I have no excuse!"

One of "those" people...

I am one of THOSE people.  One of the people who would love to be a professional student.  Most people think this is a strange thing, unless you are one of "those" people as well.  For me, school was so much fun.  Fun, as in, I loved to learn and then learn even more.  Once you learned one thing, you had so many other things to learn.  It's never-ending!  And you would learn whatever was being taught and then you would be tested.  And I loved to be tested.  Because I loved to get a perfect score.  And a perfect score was totally in reach!  You could put in the hours and effort studying to show up on test day and pass with flying colors.  When you received your test back with a big, fat "A+" the pride inside you would just fill you up to the brim.  You couldn't wait to get home to show your family so they could share in your pride.  But, maybe that's just because I am one of "those" people.
Fast forward to today, where I am forced to work for money and not a grade.  Not ideal, but it's the real world.  So, instead of challenging my mind, I challenge my body.  I now work for a win, a personal record, or some other type of physical challenge.  I am still one of "those" people, but now in the physical sense.  Works for me.  People tend to question me on a regular basis or express concern in what I do.  Some people don't understand why I would go to the lengths that I go to.  Well, just as I worked so hard for that high grade, I now work for that physical best.  And just like I ran home with my best grade in hand, I now run home with my medal in hand full of pride and joy, just waiting to share it with my family and friends.
For me, it's about hard work and the results that hard work gets you.  It's about pushing your boundaries and proving that the world is truly limitless if you choose to view it that way.  So, whether you are working out your body or your mind, do it the max.  Go for the glory.  Go for the A+, the win, the personal best.  And just like when you were in school, the result is up to you.  You get out of your life what you put in.  And, to that I say...I'll work for an A+ any day!!