Citizens Bank Park - Spartan Stadium Race - Philly
Even just a year ago I would have never imagined I would be where I am at right now. Whether it be related to OCR, the completion of my goals in life and/or my new surroundings built around so many wonderful people whom I now call family. Its incredible the power that we all posses with a positive mind and a determined punch.
Looking from the outside in throughout the year I was able to truly understand and appreciate the true beauty of a Spartan Race. Watching people struggle as I did, cry as I did, overcome their fears as I did and pushing past their pains as I did. This hit me with the clear sense of reality that this course I run is not a mean game or a competition, but a path of self discovery - Creating moments that we will never forget. These moments we apply to our everyday lives to remind us that we are capable of so much more then we think whether that be through physical strength or mental strength.
As I meet more friends in the Spartan Race community I become more and more filled with inspiration and love for what we all do as athletes. Some battle the course with missing limbs, disabilities, extra weight, illnesses…and if they can cross that finish line giving it everything they have then we should have no problem pushing past those moments we want to give up or quit. Let the people around you be a reason to keep moving forward. We are all athletes on different levels, but all going through the same thing.
This past weekend at Spartan's Citizens Bank Park Race in Philly I caught myself in many moments where my thoughts drowned me with negativity. Its not an easy thing to control. For most of the race I held my ground around 3rd or 4th place. I kept thinking to myself "This is not my day.", "I don't crossfit", "I didn't train right for this kind of race.", "I am not a runner.", "I didn't put a fresh piece of gum in my mouth and now my mouth is too dry " ;) (lol) Even during the dreadful row I was grunting, almost crying thinking "Im not strong enough"-- All these words kept sneaking their way into my mind as I am running and gasping for breath, but then I would see a familiar face- I would hear an encouraging cheer from a spectator or volunteer - Catch a smile from a stranger. All these things gave me the push I needed to give myself a little extra kick in the butt. I was able to prove to myself and others that what used to seem impossible IS and has all the potential in the world to be possible.
It was the one foot in front of the other attitude that got me though it knowing that in this race anything can happen. The burpee penalty for not completing an obstacle could be the make you or break you of a Sprint race. Luckily I was able to run a clean race which gave me the energy and time I needed at the very end to power though and reach the finish line for my first Stadium Spartan Race win.
The experience is incredible, unreal and a perfect blend of struggle and success on so many different levels- and if you know you were giving it your all it doesn't matter where you place. What matters is you know you pushed yourself, you know you did the best you could for that day and for the day that's all that matters.
Love Always,
Laura Messner
Someday you will be able to achieve the things you once thought were impossible...all because of that little voice that told you to never give up- That pain is only temporary.
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