When You Stand on the Start Line

I originally posted this a year ago, but it’s still relevant now – for everyone about to run London or any other marathon in the next few weeks! I never did find out the author, but apparently it is an extract from a book.

Enjoy!

WHEN YOU STAND ON THE START LINE

When you stand on the Start Line, you join the club.
When you stand at the Starting Line you earn your membership.
Millions dream of being where you are.
You are no longer a dreamer.
You are a doer.

Thousands more started a training programme but never finished.
They started with the same enthusiasm (or more than) you.
They started with more or less the same physical gifts or disadvantages as you did.
They had no more and no less reason to be successful than you.

But somewhere along the way, they lost that enthusiasm.
Somewhere on the road or on the track or treadmill, they decided that the rewards just weren’t worth the effort.
They decided that they could live without finding their limits, without challenging their expectations of themselves and without taking a hard look at their image of themselves.

You didn’t. If you’re standing at the Start Line, you’ve not only accepted the challenge, but you’ve also beaten back the demons.
You’ve conquered your imagination and self-imposed limitations.
You’ve gone further, got stronger and become tougher than you ever imagined.

 

Anon (searched but couldn’t find an author – it was taken from a post on Runnersworld.co.uk)