"I could never run a marathon."

I am hearing this phrase a lot as word gets out that I am training for a marathon.

Most people are capable, believe it or not. They simply lack the desire to train for and run 26.2 miles. It isn't something they are motivated to do - but they absolutely could if they so desired.*

I didn't wake up a week before marathon time and say to myself, "I think I'll run a marathon this week." It will take months of training and dedication. The training truly isn't something that just the less than 1/10th of 1% of the population who finish a marathon can do. It is something that anyone who is able-bodied and motivated can do.

I met a boy named Kalon at our Team in Training kickoff meeting last week. While I am doing this in honor of Clayton, as a team we are doing this with Kalon as our honorary patient. Kalon shared a bit of his experience. It touched me so deeply. He was so proud of each of us who were there. Hearing from him how much he appreciates what we are doing did nothing more than solidify why I am doing this. He mentioned that when we think we can't run or walk or go any further, that we should think of the people with blood cancer going through treatments, or who are dying from blood cancer, and push on. Simply because we can.

Truly, anyone can do it. I am not an amazing athlete. The only difference between myself and the "I could never" group is simply that I found my motivation.

Thank you to my friend, Karen at Fitness: A Journey, Not a Destination for sharing why she is motivated, and for sharing with her friends and followers why I am motivated.

* This isn't to say if you don't complete a marathon you aren't motivated. No matter what you do, if you lack motivation it likely won't come to fruition.  I appreciate and love motivated people in general - whether you cook or workout or volunteer or sew or whatever it is that you do.  I can assure you "I could never cook/sew/etc. like you" I don't have the motivation to cook/sew/etc. like you. And you rock.