Many new runners have serious doubts about their ability to run and train consistently. They don't see themselves as runners and can't imagine how they could ever reach 6 miles or 3 miles their whole life; let alone in a single workout with only 8 weeks of training. They are often out of shape, carry a few extra pounds, have no stamina and have so many great reasons why reaching the finish line is just impossible. Nevertheless once they make the decision to train, with hard work, consistency, prayer, lots of grit and even more encouragement they almost always reach the finish line and begin their health journey. They are then shocked at what they accomplished and can learn from the experience how much more of what they thought was way past their limits is actually well within reach. One key factor that helps new runners make this transition from inactive couch potato to super-active superhero is by learning to ignore all the voices of dissent, screaming along the way. As soon as they begin thinking about signing up to train they are immediately bombarded with a thousand and one reasons why running and exercise will never work for them. This voice tries to convince them that they are who they are and will never change. Its the same voice who wants nothing more than to see them stop exercising and focused on improving their health. When we invest time and energy into improving our health we get stronger, have better quality of life and best of all we are in a better position to take care of others and serve Hashem. This is the greatest threat to our Destructive Inner Voice (DIV) who is dedicated to making sure we stay tired, lazy and unhealthy, keeping us far away from reaching our true potential. The key for success however lies in learning how to defeat that voice. Its about hearing him say you are out of shape, without stamina and will never be able to do this ……and yet respond back, "You may be right, but I am going to do it anyway." This quality is actually in our DNA. Its passed down from our great grandfather Avraham Avinu. When Hashem promised Avraham that his children would be countless as the stars he was also promising him that they would be as defying as the one who was trying to count them. Avraham knew that counting the starts was impossible by he tried it anyway to model for us what it means to be a true servant of G-d. This quality of going against the whole world for the sake of being G-dly is the hallmark trait of Avraham Hivri (other side) and is a quality we can rely on in our training. For the sake of doing what is right and good we too can attempt the impossible and know that Hashem will help us. It's in reach. We can be like Avraham.
This week something incredible happened in horse racing that took the world by surprise. A horse by the name of Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby against all odds. He was not the fastest or the strongest. In fact he wasn’t even supposed to be in the race to begin with. Yet somehow in a dramatic and not to be believed performance Rich Strike comes from the back of the pack to finish first and do what seemed impossible.
Check out and be amazed by this incredible video that captures this once in a life time sports moment. Then even more importantly, imprint this video into your mind very well so that you can replay it every single time you hear your DIV say its impossible "NO YOU CAN'T." Rich Strike did it and he is just a horse. If he can do the impossible so can you!!
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