Step Over Step, Mile After Mile

I love music. It's always been a great way of expression for me. One of my favorite songs is Oasis's song "Wonderwall". It has a great constant beat and wonderfully deep lyrics. OK I know you're wondering "What the heck does this have to do with running?" I'm getting to it, stay with me here.

Running as many of you know is a great way to release a lot of stress and give you a great perspective. In the song 'Wonderwall' the (now former frontman) Liam Gallagher sings about a person who may be the one who can save him. About how the road to get to your eventual happy ending takes wild twists and turns that you won't be able to predict. There are going to be people along the way who try to hold you down and hold you back from doing/being with who you want.

Doing what you want, training for a run, 5k, 10k half marathon, whatever is not easy. It's like trying to lose weight (yes the two happen at the same time if you do it right) but takes a lot of dedication, will take energy and dedication even when naysayers say you're crazy or even when that voice inside of you tells you to sleep in. You have to act. You have to dig deep in you to go that extra mile so on race day you can go that one or two miles longer that you wouldn't have been able to had you been idle. Don't ever let the naysayers influence you in what you're doing. You have goals, you know what you want to do so do it. Put those naysayers in a bag and when you need extra motivation take them out for a run with you in your head. When you think you hit your wall look at those naysayers and go a mile more. Sometimes you need that to get to your wonderwall.

After all if you're reading this and you love running. You're probably thinking somewhere inside that running, you're my wonderwall

Happy Running!










































Wonderwall Lyrics:

Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

Backbeat the word was on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now

And all the roads we have to walk along are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
I don't know how

Because maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

Today was gonna be the day?
But they'll never throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you're not to do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do
About you now

And all the roads that lead to you were winding
And all the lights that light the way are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
I don't know how

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me
And after an
You're my wonderwall

Said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me

"Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings. And desire and love and empty things. Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days" ~Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls

Normally I'd save this sapce for running tips, stories, photos and so on. But this post is of a very personal nature. In the past three weeks I've had the unfortunate dose of reality. The loss of a Great Uncle, an Aunt and now a grandmother. Add on a few more months back and you can add another Uncle. It's been a tough time on my family, more than they let on to me being a "kid" (we're always a kid in the eyes of elders no matter how old we get). It's been hard on me being 3000 miles away from them. I know I've been lucky to have gone 32 almost 33 years with minimal deaths in my life. For that I feel very fortunate and have been to some degree lucky. What I've realized is with all these passings I've discovered who my real friends are. The ones who have been there for me through all of these unfortunate but "eventual" life incidents. As I wait for this storm to pass and for calmer seas ahead I'm thankful and more greatful than I can express in words for the friends in my life who are there for me and are wishing my family well. I couldn't do it without all of you and for me this is my way of thanking you on behalf of my family and of course me. Thank you again for your support.

Much Love,

Scott

I write a lot about my experiences, my journey and life. I've ran 4 marathons and each has meant something very different than the next. A marathon consists of 26.2 miles but that's just on race day. That 26.2 is about 100x that number. You have to think about the miles of training to be able to accomplish that feat. You have to think about your own personal sacrifice to wake up early in the morning. Run through rain, snow or immense heat. Sacrifice having a life on Friday night's to make Saturday mornings possible.

What I've learned in my running and what I try to apply each day in my life, what you do is important, what you sacrifice is important, how hard you push yourself is important, what you believe is possible in is important. It's all true. But What I've really learned is this: What you don't believe is possible is every bit as important, what you leave on the table is every bit as important, and most of all what you don't do is every bit as important. See life is about a series of actions and inactions. Each are important. Each lead us somewhere. Every day you stay silent on someone you know you should say something to is a wasted opportunity to bridge a gap. Every ounce of anger we apply towards someone is effort we leave on the table to move past that person, every ounce of energy we don't use in our day to day is energy we can't ever regain and thus it becomes regret.

Everything is leading somewhere. Everything is taking us someplace. Running has taught me that while the commitment is important so are the opportunities and things we don't commit to. The people we've shunned, the ones we are afraid to trust, the energy we waste in self wallow, or focusing on our own flaws. We aren't perfect. None of us are (I know shocker right??) but if we all did a little something more, wouldn't that make us a little better, wouldn't that bring us a little closer? Wouldn't doing a little more give someone else a bit more and in turn they give a bit more?

So now let me ask you, what will you give a bit more to?

I really loved the simpicity but depth of this message and wanted to share it with you all.

ALWAYS COMPETE

As told by Pete Carroll to his USC players at a 2007 team banquet:

Always compete

As you progress through your sporting life

Always compete

If you want to go for it

Always compete

You're gonna have to make choices in life and those choices need to be conscious decisions. There's only one person in control here, and that person is you.

You hold all the cards. You are the master of you. It's time to admit it.

You have always known this. So if you're ready, act on it

Always compete

Don't you dare try to be too cool, don't you dare be afraid of life

Just dare to be great and let it rip

Always be humble, always be kind, always be respectful

Always compete

Everything you do counts and screams who you are. There is no hiding from you

Act as if the whole world will know who you are

Always compete

Be true to yourself and let nothing hold you back

Compete to the greatest you, and that will always be enough and that will be a lifetime!

Always compete

- Excerpt from Pete Carroll's new book 'Win Forever'

When I started running a few years ago, it was in large part to escape who I was. Not saying that who I was, was a bad person or anything, it was more of an escape. A daunting task to know can I push myself to a physical limit? Can I shed what I perceive about myself? And maybe more than that can I do something almost everyone around me says I'm crazy for trying.

Folks, when someone says it's crazy it simply means you are trying for the extraordinary. It means you are going to attempt something very few if anybody attempts. I've read countless books about motivators and it all starts from within. The want. If you don't have the want, the hunger, the desire then you will probably fall short. But the want is the thing that keeps you moving. It's the thing that makes you want more and more. Will it suck at times? Sure. Will it be hard? Yes. Will it be harder than hell? Probably, yeah. But no great accomplishment comes without wanting it more than someone else. Accomplishment comes with a price sometimes, and while the reward isn't always visible to others, it grows within you, pangs you along for the next one. I won't lie, it's that want, that hunger that has pushed me to keep running. To replicate that feeling to look someone, anyone in the eye and say I've ran a marathon and now I'll say I've run MANY marathons. Not to be braggy but because I know what that means to me. I know what I sacrificed for that accomplishment. Some accomplishments are done for pats on the backs or raises or attention.

When I run, it's for the satisfaction and accomplishment I give it. And then give myself. I don't need someone telling me good job. I don't need someone to hear my endless hours of struggle. But i know. And as long as I know that's all that matters. We all run for different reasons. Some are more gifted than others, some have to work harder. Regardless of how easy or hard it comes to you, do it for you. And no one else and you'll get best prize you could imagine. Self glory. It's fleeting but it's there for you.

Happy running this summer!