We all hope that as we prepare, nothing will get in our way.
Yet, we are all thrown obstacles at times when momentum is building.
In the middle of a training block.
Right before the big game.
It’s right when you least expect it, don’t need it, don’t want it,
These challenges are placed in front of us for a reason.
They shape the way we work, the way we play.
They get in our heads to mess with them.
It’s up to us to keep moving.
It’s up to us remember why we started this journey in the first place.
It’s up to us to never turn back.
When I look back at high school I was thrown more obstacles to get in the way of me playing sports than I’d like.
But nothing could stop me from my passion. I even asked to transfer schools just so I could have a better chance at a college career.
It didn’t happen, but it was a dream.
Once I got my license, the only thing that could stop me from getting up several mornings a week to stop at the gym to do an extra workout before school was oversleeping my alarm.
I didn’t have a coach training me or telling me I had to do those workouts every morning.
There was no club team that I was on at that time.
It was just me and my passion and love for movement and sport that kept me going.
And that’s what keeps me going now.
I loved knowing that the hard work I was putting in every single day was going to make me better, faster, stronger, and happier.
Not because I had to.
Not because I was being told to.
Because I wanted to.
As I’ve gotten older that passion hasn’t died.
I am still thrown curveballs and regularly have to jump obstacles to maintain my lifestyle.
It’s true what they say: nothing worth it comes easily.
What matters is how you react to what is thrown your way as you prepare for greatness.
I recently received a phone call that was going to change a lot for my family and me but on the same day I came home to a box filled with new training gear from Eastbay.
I’d already gotten my run in for the day but I was having a hard time processing my world having been flipped.
To be honest, my heart went back 10 years and I felt the anger and frustrations of my high school self and I felt like I was losing control. Part of me wanted to give in to that anger. Part of me wanted to just call it quits for a moment.
But then I read the note and remembered this one quote that showed up in my Timehop that morning that was probably the most important combination of the week. It read “Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.” And the note from Eastbay ended with #Prepare4Greatness.
It all made sense.
There’s so much more to come.
The most personal thing that always motivates me through the hardest times is my training.
As I went through the box of all the amazing running gear that Eastbay sent, a layer of stress left me. It’s simple, but when you find your passion in life, you can’t let it go and you need the proper equipment to propel you through that training.
For me, a new pair of running shoes to help me coast through training.
New spandex because my old ones are getting worn out.
Tanks and tops that define my passion.
And sports bras to support what needs to be supported.
While it may seem obvious, when your life gets turned around, the simple things mean the most.
My training won’t stop.
Yours shouldn’t either.
Who wants to set some goals with me this Spring to rise stronger every morning and sleep more confidently knowing we put in the work everyday to continue growing?
How do you work through obstacles?
What do you plan to do this Spring to go that extra mile?
What keeps you motivated through tough times?
Photography by Kim Hummel Photography.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Eastbay. The opinions and text are all mine.
Hey! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! I will forward this post to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!