For those of you that aren't located in Hawaii, thousands of runners, walkers, and some skippers, all made their way through the streets of Oahu for this years Honolulu Marathon. I did not run this year (maybe next), but I couldn't be more happy to see some of our MMF athletes and friends finish strong! I'm so proud of them! After months and months of training, sweat, blisters, upset stomachs, sore muscles, and lots of mental anguish; they pushed their body to achieve something amazing and can now say they've completed a marathon! But the thing that impressed me more than anything was that after the race was over, many people made posts to their Facebook page that even though it was one of the toughest things they have ever done, they have never been happier and more proud to have done it. Why is that? It's just a silly run, what's so impressive about that? Why would anyone who puts themselves through months and months of pain, be happy after completing a one day event where all they got was a t-shirt and a medal? I get asked this all the time. The Facebook posts made after the race says it all. It's because they never thought they could do it. They doubted themselves; even some of their friends/family doubted they could do it as well. There are emotions flying, stress is high, and the mind can play terrible tricks on a person. But by completing such an incredible feat, it makes a person realize that they are capable of so much more! I read an article that said people weren't unsuccessful because they had bad luck, weren't smart enough, or were incapable of doing the job; it's because they lack self-love, confidence, and belief in themselves to be successful, so they automatically give up. There are people who will never take that risk because they are terrified of failure, and then there are people who have grit, perseverance, and the fortitude to skate on thin ice and attempt to accomplish something amazing! And I'm not just talking about running a marathon, this can be interchanged with anything in life. People who hate their job, but are too scared to leave; or people who stay in a terrible relationship because they are comfortable, even though miserable. After being a coach/trainer for many years, I've become pretty good at reading people. When I meet a new client, I can usually tell right off the bat if they will succeed or if they will give up at the slightest bit of difficulty and self-doubt. So what type of person are you? Are you willing to put yourself through some discomfort today in order to benefit your future self? Are you willing to cut out sugar and sweets, so that you can drop those unwanted pounds and live a longer healthier life? Are you willing to wake up at 4am to get in a workout, or put in time to start your own business so you can finally leave that job you hate? Challenge yourself to be great. And when you surprise yourself and you accomplish something unbelievable, I look forward to reading your Facebook post and smiling!