Thursday, April 14, 2011

Day 5: Trust yourself; you're stronger than you know


“You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.” -Rosalynn Carter quotes


There were moments during my run last year when my faith was sorely tested - my faith in my own ability to endure. Never in my life had I done anything of the same scope and magnitude as Run Hope. The idea of running 50 miles day after day for over two months seemed, at times, an overwhelming task.

To prepare for the project, all I did was walk around my hometown of Driggs, Idaho. I threw in some weekly workouts to strengthen my core, but I hardly did any running. Knowing that my body would eventually get used to running such a high daily mileage, I did not want to get into endurance-level shape prior to the start of my journey, only to be overtrained midway through and suffer some kind of overuse injury. Better to start off in good shape, but not in great shape, and gradually get fitter as the run progressed.

Did I mess up by not training harder? The thought may have crossed my mind, but I quickly tossed it right out the window. I knew it wasn’t true. In reality, walking and core exercises were just the tip of the iceberg. My whole life had been preparing me for this run. It honestly felt like I had spent my entire athletic career training for this.

Thinking back to all the tears, all the sweat and blood of all my previous athletic endeavors, I realized a simple truth that filled me with a tremendous sense of courage: no matter what happened, I was and always would be me. An obvious fact, sure. But there was profound comfort in it; in difficult situations, it helps to remind yourself who you are. I knew what I was capable of. I was a person who loved deeply and was loved. My power was within.

The next time you question your ability to endure, keep strong. You are so much stronger than you know. Dig deep to pull out of yourself that inner strength that will get you through the darkest of times. Have faith in yourself, and continue on! Eventually, you will see the light!

1 comment:

Elinor Fish said...

Beautifully put, Lisa! Indeed, we all need reminders that we can do more than we think we can. There usually comes a point when we no longer need to try harder or train more, rather, we need the confidence in our ability and strength to see us through a particular event, whether it be an athletic pursuit or major life challenge.