BE STRONG…2 years ago this week I ran the Chicago Marathon!
When I first started running, I was an asthmatic who was dependent on medication and couldn’t run further than 10 yards. But I made a choice to make a change and to try to make my lungs STRONG. I started running, eventually working my way up to 6 miles. I was a 3 -6 mile runner for years and when I committed to running the marathon, I had maybe run 7 or 8 miles 2 or 3 times.
I committed to running the marathon on behalf of St Jude and I had a vision of crossing the finish line sub 4 & raising $5000. I decided that I would document my journey on social media not because I wanted everyone to have to look at my sweaty selfies but because I wanted to inspire people to come on the journey with me. I wanted to encourage people to exercise, to eat healthy. I wanted to encourage people to be STRONG, to not quit. To believe that they can make a change, that they can do hard things.
Logging 700 training miles, I constantly thought about the children of St Jude. I thought about how they HAVE to BE STRONG. They HAVE to show up EVERY DAY and fight the fight. Not showing up is not an option for children fighting cancer. They have to show up and keep going. Therefore, I was going to show up EVERY day, run the miles, be strong and keep going. And I was going to raise $5000. I was posting my journey on social media and people started to reach out to me. Some said they started exercising, some said they started eating healthier and some said I was an inspiration.
When I checked into the hotel for the marathon, I received a gift bag from St Jude thanking me for raising $5000. One of the items in the bag was the St Jude headband I am wearing in this picture. I wore the headband for the marathon as a reminder to be STRONG. The headband was a symbol of STRENGTH & I wasn’t going to quit because quitting isn’t an option for children fighting cancer. Quitting isn’t an option for St Jude because the children fighting cancer need them. And I wasn’t going to quit on my followers because I wanted to show them that when you have a crystal clear vision, a goal, you CAN accomplish it. I crossed the finish line sub 4.
This became the launching pad for my passion to become a Health Coach. I knew I wanted to help people be the STRONGEST versions of themselves through exercise, nutrition and mindset. I wanted to help people not quit on themselves but to believe in themselves. I have a passion for helping people get started on an exercise program. I have a passion for helping people eat healthy, and affordably. I have a passion for helping people master their mindset & focus on the positive. I have a passion for helping people BE STRONG.
And sometimes I need a little STRENGTH. It was 18 months ago today that I lost my nephew. But thanks to the tools that Health Coaching has given me, I knew just what I needed to do. So I did my morning meditation, I read my personal development, I put on my headband, I ran my 8 miles, I did my 22 #burpeesforjames , I focused on my mindset and what I am grateful for and I refueled with STRENGTH.
Today, our team is ranked #7 in the company. We are passionate about providing people with fitness that is convenient, nutrition that is reasonable and a community to EMPOWER each other. I am looking for 4 coaches who have a passion for helping others BE STRONG through fitness, nutrition and mindset and who also want to be surrounded by a tribe of leaders who EMPOWER each other with STRENGTH. Is it you?
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