At the very edge of your comfort zone, you find out what you are made of…
…are you a quitter? Or do you keep going?
…are you going to give in to helplessness? Or, pick yourself up and figure out your next move?
When all the niceties that comfort afford you have stripped away…who do you choose to be?
Through life and sport, I’ve been pushed to the edge many times, and to be honest, I don’t always like what I find there. Something akin to a Tantruming Toddler is my worst! but most debilitating is the Critic who would have me housebound if she had her way, such is my ineptitude in her eyes! – but finding these voices gives me a chance to acknowledge them and work on it so that next time I cope better.
While I find insecurity, self-doubt and shame, I discover strength, determination and resilience to overcome exactly those demons!
All the while I run through these feelings and with these feelings. Running is my strength and my saviour. Every time I push to my edge, be that in a 5km time trial or 30+ hours on my feet, I get a chance to challenge my beliefs, create new ones that serve me better and become a better human for myself, and for those around me. Then when life gets tough, I can draw on those experiences and learnings and apply them to everyday situations.
That is one of the reasons why I keep showing up and lacing up, it’s why I actively seek to challenge myself through racing and training – I like finding my edge, challenging what I find there and creating new narratives.
