World Record Broken...Im Breaking Habits

Dennis Kimetto shattered the world marathon record with a time of 2:02:57.  The previous record was set just a year ago at the same Marathon.  The two hour barrier is within reach.  Kimetto actually dropped out during this year's Boston Marathon, where he was a favorite.  He DNFd due to a hamstring issue and comes back 5 months later to push the envelope on the capabilities of the mind and body.  Meb also plagued with ongoing injury, came back to take Boston with a graceful finish. 

I ran along those same steps placed by the greats in April and I can tell you what an honor it is to trail behind greatness.  I'm mindblow to watch the ease they seem to run with, although I know inside those athletes is everything but ease.  They are finely tuned and trained to not show weakness, to not allow their competitor see them break or even think.  The true definition of a machine.  What you see at the finish is what they probably felt along the course, but hours of training taught them to soldier on differently than we ever could.

Today I woke up inspired.  Inspired not to run faster because a record was broken but to change my attitude.  The summer has been brutal and my body has not been cooperative, but my attitude makes those two factors a recipe for disaster.  These elites push beyond temps, body aches, stressors, competitors...etc and they come back fighting even if it means they pulled from a major race.  Meb and I, even on two very different playing fields both had a comeback.  I need to find that eye of the tiger again...he never lost it.  Sometimes Tigers need to know when to rest too, the beast always comes back more ferocious. 

Today while I battle the heat and my beaten calves, I will change my mindset.  This run does NOT suck!!  This run was built for me today and I must face it.  I will embrace the greatness of my long run last weekend and charge through it.  Its been many surface of the sun runs, that molded me into the runner I was last weekend. 

I will stop reaching for perfection and realize that I am my own perfect runner.