What Makes You Tick?

I am always drawn to stories about why people get into pushing themselves to excel. Whether it's ultramarathoners, high-altitude adventurers or middle to back of the pack runners and triathletes....inside all of us comes a drive to succeed that exceeds ourselves.

I ran across a post by TriBoomer where he is collecting the names of cancer survivors and those touched by the disease so he can race for them at IMFL. Great motivation for him every step of the way. We all have that "thing" inside us that keeps us going... and it's not just in running or riding. It could be what keeps you waking up in the morning, what keeps you going to work, what keeps you motivated to make it through another day. It may change from time to time in our lives, from season to season, but it is ALWAYS there. It could be your kids, your family, your past failures, your friends, or maybe it's from something you're still searching for.

One of the things that drives me is the memory of my mother whose life was cut way too short in 1997. She survivied cancer for three strong years until it came back. Despite all of the pain it caused her, she never let it steal her spirit to live and to serve others. I draw strength from her every day. I was far from the type of person who enjoyed running back then, but I remember vividly how she used to talk about how beautiful it was to watch runners. Don't get me wrong, I am no runner in the fluid, graceful way she envisioned, but she is no doubt enjoying watching me get fit and watching my progress from above. Long before we were all encouraged to LiveStrong my mom embodied that message. She gives me that spark to push a little harder, that wake up call that this life of ours in not guaranteed. Our little girl was born on what would have been my mom's birthday and shares her name, I can only hope the similarities of strength, spirit and compassion also carry over.

Workout stats:
Town Lake
Interval Training
3.5 miles