Not cut out for this?

I had to run seven miles in the worst kind of weather last Saturday - very hot and humid and dew point at some unhealthy reading. When we got together at the park at 7am, it was already too warm. But regardless, armed with my water bottle, I set out on our seven mile journey with my two companions.

The first 2 miles didn't really feel all that bad. We stopped at the two mile water stop and I had water and Gatorade. We had done the first mile in 12 minutes and the second in 13 - I was really proud of myself.

After we crossed the third mile, I noticed this tingling feeling in my head. We were doing little intervals of run and walk, strategically trying to run all the downhills and walk all the uphills. Anyways, when my partner asked if I was ready to run again, I told her about the tingling. By that time my whole head was pretty much numb. She said that I had probably lost too much salt and recommended I lick my arm (gross!!! - but I did it anyways because I didn't want to pass out).

Anyways, the tingling came and went as I ran and walked. I loaded up on a lot of Gatorade and when we made it back to the park, I had some pretzels. I was ok after that rest of the day.

I was googling about it and found out that some bodies lose a lot more salt than others. I do get crusted with this white powder all over after a long run in the heat. Also, it will improve as I get better acclimated to running in hot weather. In the mean time, I can carry some salt tablets with me.

I was discussing this with another runner at work when an uninvited well wisher joined in the conversation and said "you are probably not cut out for this?" - and he wasn't kidding either. He told me how unnatural it was to first force my body to lose all the salt and then load up on salt. And how it is not worth it and how I shouldn't do it.

I could not believe it - the nerve of some people - I sarcastically thanked the person for his encouragement and left, but I don't know what his problem is and I don't know when he became an expert on me. He has been dropping such remarks ever since I signed up for this marathon. Anyways.

I declared to myself that I AM cut out for this!!!!!

Anyways, just needed to vent out - feel much better now :)

I have to run 8 miles tomorrow, but luckily it is supposed to rain so it is going to be nice and cool :)



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Just received this timely encouragement from Robin Sharma in my inbox - it almost sounds like he is talking to me :)

Success Takes Commitment

Posted: 02 Jul 2008 09:09 AM CDT

How did we get to be a world built around a sense of entitlement? So many of us want a great career and a gorgeous life but we're not willing to unleash the creativity/self-discipline and self-sacrifice to get there. I deeply believe that you can have so much of what you dream of having. The question isn't can you get there but are you willing to do what you need to do to arrive that your mountaintop?

Makes me think of an elite athlete, say Michael Jordan. He'd be up at dawn doing his drills and training his body/mind/character to get to remarkable. It's expected that an athlete who wants to win needs to get up early, train, eat superbly and condition their mind. But when it comes to businesspeople, getting up early and devoting ourselves to self-improvement and doing our "drills" doesn't seem as important. I fiercely believe it is. Success doesn't just show up via luck. It's created. By hard work.

There can be no great results without great commitment. I've had the opportunity to work as the private coach to billionaires and top CEOs and wildly successful entrepreneurs. Not one of them was cut from a different cloth than you. Not one of them. They just chose to do different things.