The Fourteenth Mile

I blinked my eyes tiredly as the bus trudged up the canyon. It was 5:06am. I had only gotten a few hours of sleep the night before, and my body pled for more rest. It knew what was coming.

I looked out the fogged window and could hardly see anything in the dark. I heard a few people around me making conversation, but I was too groggy for that. I tried to stretch my muscles, but they ached from my 22 mile run only a few days before. As I continued to look around on the bus, I saw that several people were grouped together. Some wore matching running gear. Others were sorting through their fuel they'd packed to keep them energized.

Few were alone, and I was one of them. "I am running a marathon this morning," I thought.

The rising sun slowly peeked its way over the ridge of the ice capped mountains across the valley. I kept a steady pace - right, left, right, left. As I turned the corner on the road, a mile marker suddenly came in to view. "Only mile 14?" I asked myself. How could this be? Then I wondered, "How did I get here?" Why am I running a marathon?"

I have asked myself that same question at various points in my life. "Why am I 'running a marathon?' Why do I have to endure this difficult challenge?" I have learned that I don't really have to do anything. I am free to choose a smooth, easy path with no discomfort. Accompanying that path, however; I would also find little to no progression or growth.

Instead, I choose to take the road less traveled. I choose to try hard things and to conquer weakness.

I hope that as you read my experiences about running, physical well-being, healthy habits, lessons learned and tips along the way, you too can choose to rise to greater heights and accomplish things you thought were not possible.