Of land and lakes

April marks one year that I have been running, and to celebrate, I am doing something new and different: participating in my first running and swimming race.

Fortunately for me, I have the upper body of a fish and the lower body of a track star, so I will be all set!

Or not.

I am very nervous and scared. I have the same exact jitters I had when I did my first race, and that I have at almost all races- will I be able to finish?

From a logical and reasonable standpoint, I do not know why I have this question in my mind every time.

I have raced for over a year, almost one race a month and have never not finished a race. In my training runs I have quit one time. Once. In a year.

But for some reason, there I sit ( or in this next race, swim and run) wondering if I can finish what I started.

Lest you be sitting there worried about how you will get through your next upcoming test, project, semester or personal issue, ask yourself: have I succeeded in the past? If not, why? If so, how?

It is true that just because you have been successful in the past, does not mean you will be successful when you do it or try something different, but it is also true that if you have done something once, there is a good chance you can do it again.

That test may be hard, but surely you have conquered worse! This semester might be bad, but what about that one where you lost your liver, gave birth, endured a divorce and saved Spain?!

Remember those times, because you are either going to sink or swim. But hopefully not sink, because you do have to run afterwards.