🎶 “Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted, in one moment, would you capture it? Or just let it slip?”🎶

I fly out tomorrow for the:

I should be packing right now but anyone that knows me knows how much I hate packing so… I’m writing this blog instead.

The pre-race jitters have given way to the skin tingling feel of endless possibilities.

I get it now.

The body will only go as far as the mind says that it can.

🎶 “You better lose yourself in the music. The moment, you own it! You better never let it go! You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow; this opportunity comes once in a lifetime!”🎶

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way through years worth of time spend running, racing, and training; friendships forged through the coaching of miles, paces, and races… and parting ways or losing touch due to busy lives and feet moving in different directions. But it all comes back to one thing, one connecting force, that always brings us back – the run, itself.

In 2017, I PR’d the Pittsburgh Marathon with a time of 4:27:56. You may even remember this, if you’ve followed my blog that long? I had spent that training cycle listening to and incorporating the wisdom of my friend Joe, aka: “The RocketMan”.

He and I had planned to run that entire race together but, as the time grew closer, I began to panic. Joe kept pushing for more and better race goals and my mind was filled with doubt.

Those doubts gave way to fear and, shortly thereafter, my fear became panic.

As raceday approached, Joe rightly and politely removed himself from me to go out and run his own race.

I employed the help of a friend in getting through the first half of the race and then continued on into the second half alone.

I PR’d the race that day by over 10 minutes but, looking back now, was it truly the best I could have done?

I don’t know.

But, reflecting back on my past 6 months of running and racing, what I do know is this:

THE BODY WILL ONLY GO AS FAR AS THE MIND SAYS THAT IT CAN.

So isn’t it funny how, at 7 am on Sunday morning, Joe and I will be together again, lined up, side by side, at the START line of the 2019 Philadelphia Marathon…but, this time, I truly believe that ANYTHING is possible.

🎶 “So here I go, it’s my shot! Feet, fail me not! This may be the only opportunity that I got! You better lose yourself in the music. The moment, you own it! You better never let it go! You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow! This opportunity comes once in a lifetime!

You can do anything you set your mind to, man.”🎶

#ChasingBoston #ForTheLoveOfTheRun

* Full music and lyrical credit to the artist, Eminem, for his hit song “Lose Yourself”. I thank you for the inspiration and motivation.