Always Finish Fast

It was a dreary day at Cenntenial Park in Etobicoke, but my ticket to the next cross-country meet was shining about 50 metres away from me.

The top 22 runners moved on to the regional race in a weeks time. I was runner number 23. The guy I had to catch was 50 metres away and not slowing down as he entered the stadium, the last leg of the race.

At that moment I couldn’t help but feel defeated. Negative thoughts poured into my oxygen-starved brain. There was no way I could catch him. That runner was the fastest man alive. This was my last chance to make it on in elementary school and I was wrecking it.

Running is 90 per cent mental and I was failing in that department, big time.

Suddenly another thought came into my brain, one that wiped all the others off the table with a quick and confident swipe; always finish fast.

In pre-run pep talks my dad had always told me to finish a race fast and that if I felt strong at the end of a run, it meant I could have gone faster.

All of a sudden I was in ‘The Zone’, that mythical place athletes go when they are at their best, when nothing can stop them. I had always thought it was like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory; really cool, a little scary, but in the end just a made up place. That day I proved to myself it is real.

I passed the other runner, came 22nd and went on to the regionals.

The advice I used that day will never leave me. It is something I use every time I go for a goal, do any work or try to achieve something, big or small.

This is my last post in this blog, my final stretch before the finish line. I am going on to other races, other courses with different obstacles and moments of exhaustion and glory. So here goes my last kick, hopefully I can leave everything on the course.

If I have learned anything in my ventures in life, whether it is running, chasing a story for journalism, volunteering, making smores or writing this blog, it is that hard work, a belief in yourself, a sense of humor and love for others will carry you through some of the best and worst moments of your life.

If you work hard and give everything you have to something, like that moment all those days ago when I qualified, you will reach your goal, because having no regrets and being proud of yourself, no matter the outcome, should always be a top priority.

Believing in yourself will tear off all the negative words and actions that are trying to grab you and bring you down. When you start believing in yourself, others will believe in you, even when things don’t always go as planned.

Humor makes you an optimist. When you laugh, it’s easier to notice others laughing. When you smile, it’s easier to notice others smiling. And when you start to notice these things that make you happy it just builds and soon the thousands of little things blot out a lot of the bad things.

And finally, loving others helps the world love you back, and more importantly it helps you to love yourself. It’s not always easy to love people. I’ve seen enough bullying, racism, prejudice and hate to realize it is almost impossible sometimes. But hate only breeds hate. And if that’s true, than love must breed love.

So in this race that is life, follow your dreams. When a runner falls, give them a hand. When you reach the top of a mountain, admire the view. And when you reach the final stretch give it your all, finish fast, be proud and keep it going in your next race. One day soon, you will, not might, you will reach your goals, one stride at a time.

A Difficult Choice

Standing on the bleachers at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke I had a big choice. A choice that would determine the rest of day and maybe the rest of the month. A choice so important my stomach was rumbling with suspense.

Ham sandwich or apple?

You see I had a big race in about an hour and I was hungry. My dad had advised me to eat the apple about an hour before the race to keep up my strength and fuel my body. He also told me I shouldn't eat the sandwich because, well, undigested meat and bread don't feel very good when you're running.

But that ham sandwich was calling to me.

After looking at the two suitors to my stomach for about 10 minutes I settled on the apple, deciding to go with the tried and true wisdom of my dad before my own desires.

I ran my race, did well and most importantly didn't feel the slightest twinge of pain in my stomach. That day I learned that deciding what to eat before a race was crucial to my success.

And, as it often does, a lesson learned in food and running can be applied in life as well.

We have goals in life, but they require hard work, and just like a gruelling race in the middle of the day in the heat of summer, this work can be tiring.

So if the path to our dreams is so hard who wouldn't want to deviate from this path once in a while? Who wouldn't want to go to a party instead of studying or doing that essay? Who wouldn't rather be at a movie instead of building a house? Who wouldn't want to be lying in a hammock instead of eating disgusting volumes of pie in preparation for a pie eating contest?

There are definitely temptations that are hard to ignore. They are the ham sandwich to my apple. And there is nothing wrong with doing things that make you happy, especially if it means spending time with family and friends. I mean I have had some pretty awesome ham sandwiches in my life.

But before you go off and do these things consider the consequences they could have on your goals and dreams and try to balance achieving these things with enjoying life and different experiences.

Just because I couldn't have my ham sandwich before my race doesn't mean I could never have it, it just meant I had to wait till I completed my race. When you sacrifice things in life for a goal it may mean that you have to wait to enjoy them.

But waiting can make the thing you desire all the more sweet, especially when you are enjoying it stress free. I can tell you this from experience, because that ham sandwich tasted pretty good after running a good race.

Now don't get me wrong, that apple I ate was very good as well and I enjoyed it. I didn't starve myself. When your working hard for something don't starve yourself of all experiences in life or you will lift your head up one day and realize that some awesome things and people have passed you by.

So next time you're pursuing a goal, enjoy life, but stay focused. Striking that balance seems simple, but can be quite hard to put into practice. Just remember that an apple a day means life, and your dreams, aren't far away.