Thursday, February 23, 2012

talk to yourself instead of listening to yourself

I competed in a Tough Mudder Challenge with my Staff a couple of months ago. It was a 13 mile run with 25 British Special Force Obstacles. Along the way we faced every conceivable challenge that could ever be developed for competitors.


As we worked our way along we came to this wall. It stood 20 feet above the ground and it was slippery, full of mud, and one of the final 3 obstacles. At this point in the race my calves were all knotted up in cramps. Not sure if I didn't get enough liquids, but whatever the case I could barely run. 


This was a daunting 20 foot half pipe for a dude that could barely stretch his toes. This is when I began to talk to myself instead of listening to myself. My body was saying no way, yet my heart was saying you came this far big boy, go for it!


So in a moment that will be forever etched in my mind, I ran as fast as a man could run on the outsides of his shoes, and leaped in the air, knowing this was my only chance to reach the top. My calves were screaming, but my heart was pumping. I yelled as I leaped out to the dudes at the top, "Pull me up dudes, pull me up!"


I'm not sure who these dudes are in this picture, but what I do know is this, I could not have done it without them. I had no idea that someone was snapping a photo. But today as I ran ran across this photo I reminded myself that sometimes the greatest accomplishments begin in our minds and are realized when we talk to ourselves instead of listening to ourselves. And God provides help along the way from some people that we never realized were there to help us out. 

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