DAY 63: Morning Motivation- Success Comes In a Can

"Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't you are right."

-Henry Ford

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 4 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 62: Morning Motivation- Brewing Success

Yesterday I had the privilege of hearing the founder and Chairman of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, speak at Notre Dame as he received the Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Business Ethics. Mr. Schultz is really a remarkable person, as he has built an extremely profitable corporation without having to sacrifice his morals and values. He has built what he calls a “business with a conscience”, a socially responsible business that does the right thing because it is the right thing to do, not solely because it will increase profitability.

Now what does the chairman of a coffee company have to do with running? Well, I always take advantage of the chance to listen to successful people speak because their words of wisdom more often than not apply to all areas of life. The philosophy they follow to become successful in business can be applied to our success in running if we apply these principles. From the start of his talk, Mr. Schultz told the audience:

“Success is not an entitlement. It must be earned.”

He said that in order to be able to exceed the expectations of your customers, you have to exceed the expectations of your people (employees). For example, Starbucks was the first company in America to provide full health and dental insurance and offer stock options to part-time employees. This action was greatly appreciated by Starbucks employees, and since they know Starbucks cares about them, they care about Starbucks. Have you ever seen an unhappy employee at a Starbucks?

Put in running terms, before you can exceed the expectations of your peers, you have to exceed you own expectations. You must give yourself an honest chance to grow and develop each day by giving a complete effort with each workout. You have to sacrifice the sweat, and you have to exit your comfort zone in order to advance into new areas of achievement.

Mr. Schultz ended his talk with a piece of advice that he tells all his audiences:

“Dream big dreams, and then dream bigger.”

All the great things that have been discovered, invented, or accomplished were first conceived by a dream. But don’t limit yourself. Dream as big as you can. There’s no harm done in dreaming. The greatest tragedy would not be in failing to fulfill a big dream, but rather it would be achieving a small dream and not using your full potential.

Set lofty goals. Work towards them. Remember, success must be earned. You can do it!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Scull crushers- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Dips- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 61: Morning Motivation- The Power Within

Today in my philosophy class, we watched part of the movie “Chariots of Fire”, the story of two British runners, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, participants in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. I had never seen the movie before, so I just thought it was another sports movie. I was pleasantly surprised to see a truly inspiring film. If you have not seen “Chariots of Fire”, I strongly recommend it.

There is a speech that Eric Liddell gives to his fans that, to me, represents why I run and utilize my gifts from God:

“You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you've got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe you're dinner's burnt. Maybe you haven't got a job. So who am I to say, "Believe, have faith," in the face of life's realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me." If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.”

After hearing this speech in class, I was so motivated that I felt like I could a marathon right then and there! Eric’s words were so effective, and so true. We are nothing without God. He is by our side every step of the way. It is up to us to find the strength within to finish the race. As Eric says, this strength within us is not only the endurance we need to push on in our run, but it is strength to do what is right in everything that we do, in every facet of life.

Find the power within you. Run with it. Live with it.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 4 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 60: Morning Motivation- Olympic Advice

Training for a marathon requires both physical discipline. I am becoming more aware of this with each day that I train. However, given that I am still an inexperienced newbie whose athletic glory days go as far as high school, I’m sure you would be more encouraged hearing from an Olympian.

This morning, in Josh Hind’s “Let’s Talk Motivation” newsletter, Ruben Gonzalez, three time Olympian gold medalist in the luge, talked about tackling challenges to achieve success. In his letter, he touched on a number of topics of which we have discussed in the past few weeks:

1. HAVE A DREAM: First, Ruben says you must have a dream, a dream that “takes your breath away.” By this, Ruben means that you must have a dream that you are willing to fight for to make a reality.

2. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: In order to find success, you have to believe that you can succeed.

3. ATTITUDE OF DETERMINATION: Ruben says:

“You have to have the attitude that you are willing to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes. Then, and only then, is success realistic.”

4. DESIRE: How bad do you want it? How far are you willing to go? Ruben says:

“Burning desire allows a person with average ability to successfully compete with those who have far more ability.”

5. HAVE A PASSION FOR YOUR DREAM: Make your dream a priority in your life. Keep it fresh in your mind. Ruben says that if you don’t keep your focus on your dream, then you will give up in it the first time pursuing your dream becomes an inconvenience. He says:

“If your "why?" is big enough, the "how" will take care of itself.”

So, if you don’t believe me, listen to the Olympian. He’s been to the top. He’s seen the view, and he knows what it takes to get there. I just try to learn from the best and hope that each day I can better myself and those around me.

(You can learn more about Ruben Gonzalez at www.thelugeman.com.)

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Chest Press- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Delt-21’s- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 59: Morning Motivation- Developing The Greatness Within You

“Courage must come from the soul within; the man must furnish the will to win. So figure it out for yourself, my lad. You were born with all that the great have had.”

– Edgar Guest, poet

“You were born with all that the great have had.” I love that phrase. How encouraging is it to think that within us lies the same potential for excellence that was exerted by those successful people whom we admire? As superior as our heroes may appear, they started out from the ground level just like you and me.

Yes, it is true that everyone comes from different financial or socioeconomic backgrounds, but the qualities of greatness that are visible in those whom we look up to—courage, determination, persistence, and discipline—are possessed by everyone. What separates the good from the great is one’s ability to focus on developing these qualities, regardless of what distractions may interfere.

You have the qualities of greatness within you. Use your time wisely developing these qualities each day. With each day that you train, you are becoming more disciplined. With each workout that you finish, you are proving your determination to succeed, strengthening your will to persist. In time, you and I will develop the courage to tackle 26.2 miles. That’s what each day is about—working hard today to prepare for tomorrow.

Develop the greatness within you!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 58: Morning Motivation- Don't Quit

I learned a lot in my experience running the Holy Half Marathon with my friend yesterday. It was my first experience running 13.1 miles, and as the miles piled up, I realized how important a positive mindset is to one’s success in a long distance race. The first few miles were a bit intimidating when I dwelled upon how much I still had to run. But when I simply focused on the mile at hand, finishing the race didn’t quite seem as daunting.

It was truly inspiring to witness my friend literally push her body to the point of collapse, yet still she kept pressing toward the finish line. Throughout our run yesterday, I couldn’t help but think about a poem that a friend once gave me about persistence:

Persist… Persist

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must—but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow—
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man.
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out.
The silver tint to the clouds of doubt—
And you never can tell how close you are,
If may appear when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit!

--Author Unknown

Particularly, I thought about the line,

Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow—
You might succeed with another blow.

I love this line because it expresses that there is more to success that simply beating others. The glory isn’t necessarily in how your efforts compare to those around you, but what is more important is how your efforts compare to your potential. Although my friend did not run the fastest time in the race yesterday by any means, she was still able to finish the race despite how badly her body wanted to quit. She gave everything she had, so what more could anyone ask? After the race, she was a little upset, apologizing for slowing our group down. What she didn’t realize, though, was that, of all us running yesterday, she had the most to be proud of because every person at the race could visibly see that she gave everything she had. She has no regrets about not putting forth a ful effort because we all know she did put forth a full effort.

My friend didn’t give up, and that is more valuable than any prize one can win.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Incline Bench- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Tricep Pulldown- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 57: Daily Reflection

Today, the Holy Half Marathon took place on Notre Dame’s campus, so I was planning on getting my workout in today by running the first seven miles of the race with a couple of friends who were actually running in the race. I did start the race with them, and we ran at a decent pace. It was an ideal day for a race—70 degrees and sunny. I was enjoying the run so much that seven miles seemed to fly by. However, one of my friends was struggling, so I decided to keep running in order to encourage her and help her to finish. It is always tough to watch a friend struggle, so I did my best to keep her mind positive, taking it a mile at a time.

I learned a lesson about the importance of dehydration today, because with a quarter mile left in the race, my friend’s legs just gave out, and my friends and I had to carry her to the finish line. My friend ended up going to the emergency room, and fortunately she is doing better now. It was scary to see her body give out on her. She really did give it everything she had. Her collapse though showed me firsthand the effects of not hydrating yourself enough. I certainly am going to make a better effort to hydrate myself well.

Aside the dehydration, I was very encouraged by the fact that I was able to run 13.1 miles without much struggle. Now, it was at a slower pace that I would normally run, but it still was an accomplishment for me. I was just proud that my friend crossed the finish line. She gave it the best she had… and a little bit more!

WEEK 9: DAY 57: Morning Motivation- Personal Assessment IV

Now that we have eight weeks of training under our belt, let’s take a moment to chart our progress since our last assessment on DAY 43:

1. Have you given your body a fair chance to improve by staying faithful to your training schedule?
2. Have you given your mind an opportunity to grow by exposing it to motivational/ inspirational material each day?
3. Have you set aside ten minutes each day to reflect and pray in silence?
4. Have you kept a healthy balance in your life between your training and work/ school?
5. Have you kept a healthy balance in your life between your training and your relationships?

Take a few moments to recall how you have addressed each of these questions in your life over the past two weeks. Reflect on what you have done well and consider areas where you know you can do better.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 7 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 56: Morning Motivation- Choices

“One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady

How do you make room for improvement in your life? Where do you start?

If you want to make changes in your life, look at the choices you make each day. Are the choices you make consistent with your aspirations? Do the choices you make help or hinder your progress towards your goals? If you’re training for a marathon, which will put you in a better position to succeed: skipping your Saturday run to sleep in or waking up a little earlier to get your workout in for the day? As attractive an option of relaxing in bed a little longer is, it is still easy to see that getting in your workout for the day would better position you for success in running your marathon.

Each day, we make hundreds of choices—when to wake up, what to eat, what to wear, how we respond to circumstances. Some choices seem trivial compared to others, but it is important to find consistency in the decisions you make if you are working towards a specific goal.

As Ms. Roosevelt said, with the choices we make “we shape our live and we shape ourselves.”

Who we become and what we accomplish are directly related to the choices we make. Some circumstances may arise that are out of our control, but how we react to these unforeseen circumstances is up to us. Choices are what makes opportunities so exciting. You have to choose to pursue an opportunity. So many people choose to pass up on opportunities out of fear of failure. Don’t let fear get in the way of you making decisions relating to your growth and development.

As we discussed yesterday, choose to step outside your comfort zone in order to go where you have not gone before. In your run today, choose to push yourself a little farther than you did last run. Start your kick for the finish a little earlier today.

Choose discipline. Choose persistence. Choose to enjoy your workout today!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 55: Morning Motivation- Get Comfortable Being Outside Your Comfort Zone

When I was home for spring break last week, I got to see one of my best friends from high school. He’s a physical therapy major at LSU, so I always like to talk to him about suggestions to improve my workouts in the gym.

My friend told me that the way the body builds muscle is by making small tears in the muscle tissue so that it can expand. He says that when you push yourself to the limit, you actually tear your muscles, which is a good thing.

I have to say, I looked at him funny when he told me that it was good to tear my muscle tissue. However, I trusted in his reasoning because, after all, he’s the one who studies the human body as his major.

Coincidentally, I found an article confirming my friend’s theory on muscle growth yesterday. In his Ezine, Ron White wrote an article entitled “You Need More Weight”, in which he discussed the importance of departing from your comfort zone when workout out. He says,

“You see, when lifting weights your muscle is built when it goes beyond its comfort zone or literally stretches beyond what you have done before.”

While the anatomy of the body is fascinating, what I think is the most important thing to learn from this muscle growth process is that it is no different from how we grow or develop in anything else that we do. If we want to grow or develop a skill, you must work outside of your comfort zone. You can never really improve if you keep doing what is easy to you within your comfort zone. It is when reach past your current limits and set a new bar of excellence that we begin to fulfill our potential.

At this point, you may be comfortable lifting a particular weight because it is what you are used to. You know you can do it because you have been doing it.

Today, challenge your body by pushing yourself one step farther in your workout. If you’re up to the challenge, increase your weight 5-10 pounds for each exercise. If you’re not ready for a weight increase, increase the number of repetitions you do for each exercise. If you normally do 8 reps of bench press, push yourself to 10 reps today. Make sure you have a spotter though.

Get comfortable being outside your comfort zone.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Scull crushers- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Delt-21’s- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 54:Morning Motivation- GOALS

Yesterday we talked about making the daily difference in order to achieve our goals, but today I want to talk about the nature of goals. Why do people set goals?

There are a variety of reasons why people set goals, more reasons than I can mention, but despite people’s different motives for setting goals, there is a common factor driving people to work towards their goals. What is it?

People set goals because goals are:

Godly
Objectives that
Achieve
Lasting
Success

Goals are called “Godly Objectives” because the bar of expectation is set very high—not so high as to be unreachable, but high enough to require growth and development in order to achieve them. Godly Objectives are challenges that cannot be met by an everyday effort. They require a little bit more.

People set goals in order to arrive at a desired destination or circumstance, and if these Godly Objectives are met, they will Achieve Lasting Success. This Lasting Success will differ from person to person, and isn’t necessarily a material success, such as money. More times than not Lasting Success comes in the form of the internal satisfaction one finds from pushing himself or herself where he or she has never gone before. It is a reward that money cannot buy.

While monetary rewards may be a motivation to the elite runners of today, I think it is safe to say that the vast majority of people training to run a marathon are not running for the money. They are running for themselves. They have set a Godly Objective and are training each day in order to Achieve Lasting Success when the cross the finish line. I can’t wait to discover the feeling of accomplishment when I cross the finish line on October 7^th. It is these internal rewards that drive so many people. The best part is that the harder you push yourself and the more effort you devote to your goal, the greater the feeling of satisfaction at the end. Your internal reward is proportional to your effort!

Do have GOALS?

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 53: Morning Motivation- The Daily Difference

This morning I was catching up in reading some past motivational articles from Josh Hinds’ “Let’s Talk Motivation” newsletter, and I found a great article about achieving success by increasing your awareness by Robin Sharma. She talks about how successful people found success:

“They started off ordinary—with a dream, a plan and goals. Then they made daily 1% improvements. The days slipped into weeks, the weeks slipped into months and the months slipped into years. Their dream grew and became real. Yet the first, and most powerful step took place in their minds.”

As I have mentioned before, the mind is a powerful tool. It baffles me sometimes to think of what one can accomplish by constructively using the mind to achieve a goal. You are in control of your thoughts. You are in control of your actions. Your body has short-term vision—it cannot see past today’s workout. When it becomes tired, it wants to quit immediately. You, however, have a brilliant mind that can see the finish line of your long-term goal. Your mind knows that, while your body may be tired now, you must push on in order to better prepare yourself for tomorrow. When tomorrow arrives, your mind will push your body to prepare itself for the next day. And if you apply discipline and persistence, your mind will continue this process with each workout. You may not notice vast improvement in your performance on a daily basis, but if you honestly challenge yourself each day, your efforts will add up to a substantial improvement in the long-run.

It is much easier to accomplish an objective when you break it down into pieces. Looking at eight months of training is very intimidating. Your mind and body may question your commitment and you may find yourself searching for an excuse not to continue. But if you break down your workout into weeks, and within each week days, the mind is much more willing to proceed. Breaking down your workouts also allows you to achieve miniature successes when you complete each part of your training. These successes, as small or big as they may be, are essential to keeping you inspired to push on. With each small success, you build up confidence, and the more confidence you have, the easier it is to fight off negativity and doubt when workouts get tough.

Make the daily difference. Push yourself today. You’ll be glad you did tomorrow.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Chest Press- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Dips- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 52: Morning Motivation- Pass The Vibes!

“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.”

-Romans 12:1

I love the beginning of spring. When the sun comes out and the plants begin to bloom, you can’t help but be in a good mood when you go for a run. Even if I’ve had a rough day, I always feel better after I get a good sweat running in the fresh air. Spring gives me energy, an indescribable feeling of excitement. Maybe I had cabin fever from all the snow we had this winter up at school, but now that the snow is gone and the sun is out, I can’t help but be thankful for this beautiful day. Running in pleasant weather makes a workout so much easier.

As the beauty of springtime begins to show its face, I can’t help but thank the Lord for blessing us with this day. Each day is a gift, and I think spending some time outside challenging our bodies and minds is one of the best ways we can do to express our appreciation to God for blessing us with today. With each day that we improve ourselves by pushing our bodies to the limit and training our minds to persevere, we are showing God how we are making the most of his gift to us.

You may not see your daily workout as that important to your relationship with God, but think about it for a second. Each day, your workout begins a chain of positive influence. If you honestly push yourself, you feel good at the end of your workout. If you feel good, your mood will reflect this feeling, and you will pass this feeling of accomplishment and contentment to those around you. You will brighten your surrounding environment. Others will enjoy your presence, and they will be more likely to pass on these positive vibes. At the end of the day, I don’t think God will be upset if you have made a positive influence in the lives of others!

Enjoy today’s workout. Push yourself. Run with an attitude of gratitude, for today is truly a gift!

P.S.- 200 DAYS UNTIL RACE DAY!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 4 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 51: Competition: A Character Builder

“Being involved in competition is a privilege and an opportunity. Seek to make the most of that opportunity by pushing yourself to the limit of your abilities. When it is over, you will have earned the respect of your opponents, your coaches, and yourself.”

-Tony LaRussa, Major League Baseball Manager

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Incline Bench- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Forearm curls

Abs

Sorry for the interruption

To my loyal followers,

I apologize for the delay in my writings, but I currently have very limited internet access. I return to school on Monday, so I will catch up with you then. I have the workouts for the weekend written below. Good luck with your workouts, Happy St. Patrick's Day, and enjoy the weekend!

FRIDAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Incline Bench- 3 sets

Lat Pulldown- 3 sets

Pushups

Abs

SATURDAY’S WORKOUT

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

SUNDAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 46: Morning Motivation- Excellence

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

-Aristotle

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Incline Bench- 3 sets

Lat Pulldown- 3 sets

Pushups

Abs

DAY 45: Morning Motivation- Inch By Inch

“If we take care of the inches we will not have to worry about the miles.”

- Hartley Coleridge

Reading this quote reminds me of the old saying, “Inch by inch, it’s a cinch; yard by yard, it is hard”. This is a great quote for anyone training for a marathon because, both literally and figuratively, we are reminded to take each workout one step at a time.

Long-term goals can be overwhelming from the surface. In college, I remember the feeling of overwhelming defeat that would enter my mind on the first day of class when my teachers would hand out the class syllabus outlining what would be accomplished during the semester. When I looked at how much had to be done over the whole semester, I was intimidated. However, everything always worked out fine because I would break down the workload one day at a time in order to complete the assignments for class.

Breaking down goals is the key. As we train for our marathon, don’t become overwhelmed by how many workouts we still have. Concentrate on today. You are in control of today’s workout, so make the most of it. If you take the time to push yourself today, tomorrow will be that much easier. But if we overlook the opportunity we have to advance ourselves with today’s workout, and we worry about how we are ever going to be ready for future workouts, we will find ourselves tomorrow sitting in the same position as we are sitting today.

Make the most of today. Enjoy today. Tomorrow will come, and you will be ready for it because you will take a step forward today.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 44: Morning Motivation- Desire

“The most important thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else—the desire has to be yours. That is all that will justify the hard work needed to achieve success. Compete against yourself, not others, for you are truly your best competition.”

-Peggy Fleming, Olympic Gold Medalist Figure Skater

I found this to be a particularly appropriate quote for a Monday because so many people dread Monday. They dread Monday because either they dread what they do or they have forgotten how to enjoy what they do. Especially in the corporate world, it is very easy to fall into the mentality of doing things to please someone else—a manager, boss, or your peers. You concentrate so much on impressing someone else that, suddenly, what you are doing isn’t quite as enjoyable as when you began. Where did the passion go?

Don’t let the stress of this fast-paced world clutter your mind and distract you from enjoying your journey through life. Don’t just go through the motions. You may have some mountains to climb in order to reach your goals, but remember that no mountain is too high. Remember, with God, anything is possible.

Enjoy today. Take each challenge one step at a time. Remember why you are doing what you are doing. You have a purpose. Today you are going to fulfill that purpose.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Chest Press- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Pushups

Abs

WEEK 7: DAY 43: Morning Motivation- Personal Assessment

Now that we have seven weeks of training under our belt, let’s take a moment to chart our progress since our last assessment on DAY 28:

1. Have you given your body a fair chance to improve by staying faithful to your training schedule?
2. Have you given your mind an opportunity to grow by exposing it to motivational/ inspirational material each day?
3. Have you set aside ten minutes each day to reflect and pray in silence?
4. Have you kept a healthy balance in your life between your training and work/ school?
5. Have you kept a healthy balance in your life between your training and your relationships?

Take a few moments to recall how you have addressed each of these questions in your life over the past two weeks. Reflect on what you have done well and consider areas where you know you can do better.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 42: Morning Motivation- Supportive Relationships

Yesterday, I flew home to Louisiana for my spring break. I was very excited to be traveling home because I was looking forward to spending quality time with my fiancé and visiting with my family. While I was flying, I had the opportunity to read some of Mark Albion’s book, Making a Life, Making a Living. With timing that could not be more perfect, I happened to read the part of Mr. Albion’s book in which he discusses the importance of relationships in life. He wrote:

“The more supportive relationships you can develop, the more energy you will have to preserve and achieve in your career—and the more opportunity you will have to live a life of significance.”

That was exactly what I needed to hear at that particular moment of my life. After finishing an intense week of midterm exams while still keeping up with my workouts, I had not been very good about nurturing my relationships with the people I love. Over the past week, I had focused too much on myself, failing to maintain a balance between school, workouts, and relationships.

Relationships are essential. We must never forget to spend quality time with the people we love. As Mr. Albion suggests, having people who support you gives you the strength to achieve. Self-discipline is essential to achieving personal goals, but relationships play just as important of a role.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “The better part of one’s life consists of his friendships.” Remember, success isn’t in the destination, it is in the journey. Enjoy the journey. Share your experiences with the people you love. Have them play a part in your success. Make them feel appreciated. When times are good, they are there to enjoy them with you, and when times are trying, they are there to console you.

Today, after you finish your workout, make sure to tell the people you love how much you appreciate them. Spend some time with them. Relax, it’s Saturday!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 41: Morning Motivation- Expect Great Things

“It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him.”

-John Steinbeck, Author

As we are nearing the end of Week 6, I hope you are beginning to feel comfortable in your workouts each day. By now any soreness of muscles are gone, and you are well into building a solid foundation of endurance. The first few weeks were both mentally and physically tough on me because I had not run regularly in four years, but now that I’ve acclimated myself to a daily routine, I am feeling better by the day. Running is not a chore; it is a gift, a privilege to be able to use our bodies to its fullest extent.

Now that the introductory weeks are behind us, and we know that we can and will run this marathon, its time to take the next step: expect great things. We must always be willing to challenge ourselves. It’s admirable that you and I have set a goal to run a marathon, but now let’s be more specific—how fast will you run your marathon? What is a reasonable pace to aim towards? Set your sights on a time that is unreachable now, but with consistency and hard work can be achieved come October.

Always remember to dream big. Expect great things of yourself, and great things will surely come. It takes just as much effort to dream big dreams as it does to dream small dreams, so you might as well dream big.

Set your expectations on what you believe you can achieve and not on what others think of you. You’re the only one who has to live with your results, so don’t lower your expectations because of a few Negative Nancies.

You’ve got the ability in you. Make it happen!

“Reach for the moon… even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Chest Press- 3 sets

Lat Pulldown- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 40: Morning Motivation- Can You Predict The Future?

“When I have fully decided that a result is worth getting, I go ahead of it and make trial after trial until it comes.”

-Thomas Edison

Have you ever wished you could predict the future? For certain circumstances, it would be nice to know in advance how a particular situation was going to turn out.

What would you say if I told you that you could predict the future? I’d be crazy, right? But isn’t setting a goal like a predicting a future event? When we set a goal, we state (and write down so that our goal becomes more concrete!) that we will achieve a particular objective by a specified date. By setting a goal, we are predicting the accomplishment of a task, but setting the goal doesn’t mean that it is necessarily going to happen. What makes our prediction true are the actions we take to prepare ourselves to accomplish our goals.

If you want to achieve a goal, you need to take the action necessary to see that you reach your goal. That’s why I workout each day. I may not feel like running today, but I know that running today will put me in a better position to succeed in running 26.2 miles come October. Action is what transforms the dreamer into the achiever. The dreamer has great intentions, but the achiever knows how to take action to make his dream a reality.

When pursuing a long-term goal, such as running a marathon, persistence is essential. When a goal is far away, it is very easy to lose motivation or become distracted. Skipping a day doesn’t seem quite as harmful when you still have seven months to train, but we mustn’t fall prey to this way of thinking. Each day is precious. Each day is a gift given by God, 24 hours in which we have the opportunity to make ourselves better than yesterday. If we put a little effort each day into progressing towards a worthy goal, that little effort adds up over several months. Just as a small amount of money can compound into a large sum over time, so to does your effort today greatly impact your success in the future.

Persist in your actions to reach your goals today. Persist tomorrow. Persist the next day. Keep on persisting, and soon enough you’ll find out when you reach your goals that you really can predict the future!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 39: Morning Motivation- You Gotta Believe

“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.”

-Norman Vincent Peale

After a month of training, I hope you have learned that training for a marathon requires mental training along with physical training. 26.2 miles is a long way to run, but with the right mentality, no challenge is too daunting.

There are thousands of people training for marathons each day. Adrenaline begins to rush at the thought of taking on this challenge, but come race day, many people aren’t able to finish. They put in hours of time training their bodies, but they just couldn’t make it. Why?

Outside of some type of injury, I’d say most people don’t finish because they don’t honestly think they can do it. They say they are going to do, but it ends up being like a soft new year’s resolution that is abandoned once the challenge begins to become difficult.

Of course, things are going to become difficult, and that’s why it is so important to mentally prepare yourself for the moment your body hits this stage in the race. If you want to accomplish something, you’ve got to honestly believe you can and will do it! What’s the use of devoting so much time to a cause if, in the end, you really don’t think you can do it?

You may be questioning your ability right now, and although we still have several months left to train, your attitude today is still an integral component of your overall success. Have you ever heard of “muscle memory”? Just as you can strengthen your muscles by repetition of exercises, so too can you strengthen your will to succeed by repetitiously telling yourself YOU CAN DO IT!

Make a note and put it by your bed, so that when you wake up each day, the first words you see are “I CAN DO IT!” Or maybe write down a quote that inspires you. This may sound a little silly, but what’s the harm in trying it out?

I believe in you, but the most important question is, “Do you believe in yourself?”

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Military Press- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Tricep Pulldown - 3 sets

Abs

DAY 38: Morning Motivation- The Guy In The Glass

When I was in high school, I ran cross country. Throughout each week during the season, we would practice in preparation for races each Saturday. Race day was always the most exciting and most nerve-wracking day of the week for me. I was excited at the opportunity to compete against other runners, but I was nervous about how I would perform.

One week, my dad gave me a short poem to read in order to help me with my struggle. The poem was entitled “The Guy In The Glass” by Dale Wimbrow:

The Guy in the Glass
by Dale Wimbrow, (c) 1934

When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.

We often forget that the most important critic of your actions is yourself! Unlike other people who only spend part of their day with you and then walk away, you cannot run from yourself. You have to be able to live with your actions.

Going back to my cross country story, while I was concerned about what place I finished in comparison to my competitors for the sake of my team’s score, what ultimately drove my motivation to perform well was how I finished relative to my full potential. It was the best feeling in the world to have known I gave my best effort, and conversely, it was miserable to have to go through a week of practice knowing that last week I could have done better.

Success is measured differently by different people. What spectators see of you may be pleasing, but only YOU know if your efforts are satisfactory relative to your potential. Only YOU can see the guy in the glass. When the guy in the glass is your friend, what more can you ask of yourself?

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 37: Morning Motivation- Books Change Our Lives

"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."

-Mark Twain

A few weeks ago, I listened to one of Matthew Kelly’s speeches about becoming the best-version-of-yourself as I was driving in my car. I had listened to this speech before, but it was very refreshing to hear it again, as it had been a few years since I last listened to this CD. In his speech, Matthew talked about the importance of reading good books. He said:

“BOOKS CHANGE OUR LIVES.”

It is so true. Matthew went on to tell the audience that “we become the stories that we read”.

Hmm… let’s think about that for a moment. If we become the stories that we read or hear, then I would think we would put serious consideration into what we subject our minds to. Unfortunately for most people, this isn’t the case. Instead of subjecting ourselves to inspiring stories and positive materials, the morning newspaper and the evening news are shoving negativity down our throats! We hear too much about death and disease and terror and reasons to be afraid. What we don’t hear enough of are the success stories of businesses and individuals who are making a positive influence in the world. We don’t hear about the people who quietly live a life of purpose, helping others while helping themselves.

Since we are not subjected to positive stories on our own, we must seek them out. Try reading a motivational book. Maybe a biography on the life of someone you view as successful. Learn from their experiences. There are thousands of great books to put you in the proper frame of mind to achieve your goals.

I think it was Jim Rohn who wrote that each goal that you set is at the top of a very tall bookshelf. In order to reach the top of this bookshelf, you must stand on the books that you read because books build your foundation for success.

Running a marathon is not just about physical training. It requires much mental training. Just as your body needs nutritious foods to stay healthy, so too does your brain need positive input in the form of motivation, be it books or inspirational movies.

I have a challenge for you. I challenge you to keep the TV off for a day. I challenge you to fill the time that you would normally spend watching TV reading. If TV is a regular part of your life, then this may be difficult, but it would not be a challenge if it was not difficult. Just try it for one day. Maybe you’ll enjoy it.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Incline Bench- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Delt 21s- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 36: Daily Reflection

Today was an absolutely beautiful day to run! It was still a bit chilly, with snow on the ground, but I was not excited about running 48 laps around the indoor track at Rolfs, so I thought I’d try the cold. It was such an enjoyable run. Taking in fresh air outside just can’t be beat. When I finished my run, I was right by the Grotto, so I dropped in to say a prayer and then stretched by the lakes. I was filled with such a serene feeling, as I admired the beauty of winter in the silence of nature. It is days like today when I thank God that I am alive. God never seems to amaze me with the beauty of his creation.

WEEK 6: DAY 36: Morning Motivation- Which Wolf Will You Feed?

Here is a story that my dad told me many years ago:

One evening an old Cherokee chief told his grandson a story about a battle that goes on inside all people.

He said, “My son, the battle between two ‘wolves’ is inside us all.

One wolf is Evil.

It represents anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other wolf is Good.

It represents joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

-Author Unknown

Life is about choices. Our happiness depends on the choices we make. There is always a tendency within us to take the road of least resistance, but this road is usually less fulfilling, leaving us with an empty feeling inside. When we allow our ego to interfere with our goals and when we jealously compare ourselves with others, we feed the Evil wolf. When we run calmly knowing that God is by our side, and when we look at our actions with humility, we feed the Good wolf.

Which wolf will you feed today?

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 6 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 35: Morning Motivation- Give It The Best You've Got... And A Little Bit More!

“Don’t be content with doing only your duty. Do more than your duty. It’s the horse that finishes a neck ahead that wins the race.”

-Andrew Carnegie

How do you stand out in a crowd? How do you differentiate yourself from everyone else?

Challenge the status quo!

That’s how you excel in anything that you do—you do more than you are asked. When you take the time to put forth effort above and beyond what is asked of you, people will notice. Sometimes, you may not think they notice, but they do. More important, though, is not how other people feel about your efforts, but how YOU feel about your efforts. Are you content with the amount of effort you invest in the activities you do? Or is there more that you can do?

How do you apply challenging the status quo to personal goals? What do you do when no one else is asking effort of you, but rather you are asking effort of yourself?

I find it difficult to challenge the status quo while training for my marathon because the only measuring stick I have in which to judge my progress are my performances in previous runs. In a sense, I have to race myself in order to challenge the status quo. When I mentally race myself, I do not have the luxury of physically observing another runner in front of me which would inspire me to catch up to him. I have to imagine a runner yards ahead of me in order to motivate myself to pick up my pace. This strategy requires practice and honesty, for it is easy to dismiss the thought of this imaginary runner. But I know that come race day, this imaginary runner will be very real, so I must take him seriously if I am going to be ready for the Chicago Marathon.

When I was ten years old, my little league baseball coach would always tell me and my teammates, “Give it the best you’ve got… and a little bit more!” I’ve tried to follow his advice ever since. When I’m running, and I feel that I’ve hit that mental wall, I tell myself to push just a little bit more. I know I’ve given it my all when I cross the finish line because if I have nothing left to give. This satisfaction of knowing you’ve given it your all is worth more than any prize you can win!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 34: Morning Motivation- Life-Altering Attitude

“The greatest discovery of any generation is that a man can alter his life by altering his attitude.”

-William James

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Chest Press- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 33: Daily Reflection

Frequently, I choose the topics for my Morning Motivation based on the happenings of my life. While I hope you take something away from my daily pieces of inspiration, I feel that I gain so much out of putting my thoughts and beliefs on paper. With midterm exams next week, the pressure of balancing school and my training is becoming difficult. Today’s workout certainly was not my best performance, but I was proud of the fact that I made through. Throughout my run, I would remind myself of the quote from the email I received:

“If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.”

Remembering this simple truth calmed me down, and allowed me to remain focused on my goal. Today was a stepping stone. I may not have made the largest leap, but I still progressed nonetheless. When the day is over, I am able to say that I am closer to successfully running a marathon than I was this morning.

DAY 33: Morning Motivation- Run With Faith

Today I received an email from a family member, and in this email was a saying:

“If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.”

I had never heard this saying before, but I loved it because there is so much truth in it. We need not forget that in everything we do, God is right there next to us along the way. Oftentimes, we encounter difficult situations and we are not sure how to handle them. A last minute assignment may be given to you at work when you are already overwhelmed with your current workload. You or a loved one may be diagnosed with a harmful disease or illness. Maybe you are in a financial struggle. At some point in life, everyone struggles with a trying situation of some size or sort.

Regardless of how tough the situation at hand may seem, it is in fact the hand you have been dealt. Many may argue that they have been burdened with far more misfortune than others, but that is not what I am here to discuss. The most important thing to remember is to NEVER lose faith. When frustration begins to mount, and you can’t see the end in sight, remember that everything happens for a reason. God does not put us through these tough times for His enjoyment. It is through difficult situations that we learn the most about ourselves. These experiences open our eyes to new aspects of life that we may have never noticed otherwise.

Have you ever heard a cancer survivor refer to his or her cancer experience as “the best thing that ever happened to me”? That was exactly the response given by seven time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong when asked his sentiments on his cancer experience. Lance’s experience battling this disease helped make him the mentally strong person that he is today. The qualities of determination and will that Lance built and strengthened throughout his cancer battle were essential to his racing the Tour de France.

Our lives never go as we planned, and that’s what makes life interesting. Our lives follow God’s plan.

As you complete your workout today, run with the piece of mind that God is running at your side. Life may be filled with obstacles right now, but just remember that they are only stepping stones set by God to help you become the person you need to be to achieve your goals.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile