After an inspiring race day at the Arizona Fit Kids 5k, and nearly a year or more of training with many of you, now seems like a good time to reflect back. As trainers and as metabolic warriors we tend to be very goal oriented and we are usually looking ahead in terms of trying to reach a goal or overcome a challenge. That is a positive attribute and keeps us pushing forward. But sometimes it can lead to frustration if we haven't quite met that goal or we lose sight of how far we have come. All of those subtle changes that are maybe too small to notice from day to day or week to week amount to significant changes when we look back to where we started.
As most of you know, Katie and Sherry are both runners. If you also run, you have probably noticed that running imitates life, and you may have heard the expression that "life is a marathon". And if you don't run, but have made another form of exercise a lifestyle habit, you probably recognize that the physical and mental toughness needed to stay committed to that exercise routine often mirrors the traits and strength you need to draw upon to meet life's challenges. In fact, we strongly believe that being consistent with an exercise program, and becoming physically stronger, gives you an inner strength to deal with adversity.
As runners, one of our favorite fitness reads is "Runner's World". Amby Burfoot, one of the editors and a writer for the publication, is a lifelong runner with over 50 years running experience. He recently wrote an article titled "The Life of a Runner" which is overflowing with running wisdom that seems to naturally lend itself to meeting life's everyday challenges. His view of both running and life can be summed up in his words, "We learn little from hitting one finish line; we absorb much from a lifetime journey."
We have seen each of you embark on a journey to lead healthier lives. For some of you, this is the first time you have exercised with any consistency. For others, this was a way to take your fitness to another level. Some of the changes you have experienced are visible and obvious to us even though they may have escaped your notice. For instance, we have seen many of you subconsciously pulling your shorts or pants up during the training because they have become looser... or maybe you have become smaller. We see you progressing from a modified push up to being able to do full body push ups. We see deltoids and biceps and triceps that were hiding before. We see you being able to stand on one leg while doing bicep curls and rows. We see younger faces. We see you standing taller, and not just because you have better posture, but because you are more confident. We see you embarking on other new fitness endeavors. We see your determination and your spirit to reach your goals. We hope that by reflecting back that each of you can see many of these changes in yourself.
Other changes that you have shared with us may not be visible, but are perhaps even more important such as more energy, reduced cholesterol, lowered blood pressure, stronger bones, stronger heart, improved sleep, and less back or joint pain. These changes enable us to lead healthier and happier lives.
Something else we can be sure of, in both fitness and life, is that progress is not linear and it is not without setbacks. Of these trials, Amby said, "You will hit bumps in the road. Heck, you will hit something that looks like Mount Everest." The key is that when you do hit Mount Everest, don't turn around and go back. Instead, use the strength and determination that you have developed to figure out how to get over it, around it, or through it. We have seen many of you encounter setbacks or obstacles and we have seen you push through them. You inspire us with your hard work and we love seeing you get stronger on the outside, but it's the changes that we know that are happening on the inside that really make us smile!
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