My Accomplished Goal

by Kayla

If you were to have known me 10 years ago you would know that my athletic abilities included swimming no more than 200 yards in a race, sprinting 18 yards to the end of a goal keeper box in soccer, and power lifting. Anything more than short powerful bursts were completely agonizing to me. Yet I always longed to be able to go on runs with my friends who looked like beautiful stoic gazelles effortlessly running long distances.  Fast forward this journey to the Turkey Trot race of 2012 where my sister, cousin and I signed up for what we thought was a 5k (3.1 miles), but as it turns out, it was 5 miles. This wanna-be gazelle felt a lot more like a hippo stomping across the finish line with every step being heavier than the last. I didn’t know if I was going to make it. I think I recall telling my sister that she could have all of my valuable possessions. That was the last straw. I was going to turn myself into a runner. And for whatever reason, being a runner to me meant running at least a half marathon.

Guess what I did?! I finished a half marathon this past weekend! It only took me 6 years to finally do it, but I did it.  I also know that I haven’t quite reached the “gazelle” status. But I will tell you that I felt a lot better than the way I felt during the Turkey Trot. However, I realized through my journey that being a running gazelle wasn’t the point. It was about setting the goal, making a plan to achieve the goal, and staying consistent with the plan. The fact that I executed the plan and achieved my goal is where my pride is coming from.

I’m telling you this story because I hope you can relate in some way. Sometimes, it takes a long time to achieve your goals, whatever they may be. It could be weight loss, quitting tobacco, being able to climb a set of stairs without getting winded, financial freedom…I think you get the picture. However, all of these goals cannot be met unless you carefully plan steps that you know are achievable for you and stay consistent with your plan. Are there going to be road blocks? Sure thing. Are you going to want to give up at some point? Probably. Are you going to lose your vision during your journey? Yeah, it might get a little foggy. You just need to keep your eye on the prize and keep on working. In my case, it was more than 6 years of work, full of a lot of “life” that threw barriers my way. But let me tell you, the feeling of accomplishment on the other side is well worth that time.

 


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