What is your nitch?

I truely believe that every person has something that they are really good at. The problem is a lot of us never find out what that something is. I also believe that everyone of us has something beautiful about us.

I have been fortunate that I found competitive walking. I would never have believed back when I was a runner that I would ever become a walker. Walkers are those out of shape people out there getting in the way of the runners right?

I fought being a walker at the races, fought it hard. When I tore my achillies tendon I kept on trying to run for 2 more years. I'd take a month off, train very slowly and before long I was in to much pain and had to take another month off. Every race was a personal worst, but still I resisted switching to walking.

I finally decided that if I was going to continue doing the races that I enjoyed so much I had to make some changes. I even sat out the 2006 DisneyWorld half marathon because I didn't want to be a walker. I would never be able to do that. I didn't mind walking for training but not in a race.

Then I decided one day to try race walking, I got plenty of looks going down the road. I had friends say they saw me, looked like I was hurting. Well after a few months of practice I smoothed out my stride and now most people think I'm running, they don't realize that I'm walking.

I was lucky to find my nitch. A lot of people never do. Of course everyone's nitch is not fitness related but health and fitness will make everything you do easier. For most of us the first big challenge is to get our weight down and our muscle tone up. Good health is important even if your something turns out to not be physical.

Your nitch might be teaching, nursing, nurturing, loving, speaking, writing, the list is endless. The important thing to remember, I think, is when you find something you enjoy and seem to have a little talent for, find a way to make it a part of your life.

Happy Panda