You are not special!

“Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you,”

David McCullough Jr. (Wellesley High School - You are not special commencement speech)

I found this today on a Marius Schwager's blog and it really hits home for me.  When I started my weight loss and running I have tried to do it for just one person, me.  I often tell people I am nobody special, which I am not. As I prepare for races I am usually fairly quiet and like to let my result be a reflection of all the hard work I put in (or unfortunately did not put in).  I realized when I signed up for my first 100 miler that I could not do this for the acceptance of others or the recognition of doing something so crazy.  

I made a deal with myself before ever signing up I wouldn't do so until I could answer two questions honestly.  First, could I look myself in the mirror and genuinely say that I would still sign up even if my friends didn't.  Second, would I still have the motivation to train properly every day even if I had to run every training day alone.  I signed up for the Bear 100 in July and ran a great majority of my runs alone.  There were several friends that did that race but we didn't spend much time on the trail together chatting.  I am happy to say that I never had even the smallest thought of quitting or not finishing that day...or any day since.