Hell Yeah!

There is less than one percent of the population of North America that have done even a 5K race. Yep, less than 1%, that puts all of us in a pretty elite group. All of you are athletes, you have earned the right to call yourself that. We all all in different levels of training, but we are all still athletes. As John the Penguin Bingham wrote, "We are all athletes, some are just further along in their training than you".

Today when you stap on your shoes, slip on a little attitude with them. You are putting on the shoes and the clothes of an athlete, make sure you put on a little of that elite athlete attitude. Don't give a thought to the fact that you are not where you want to be yet in your speed or weight or body shape, you are a work of art in progress.

If you are racing this weekend, don't worry about the few deer in front of you think about all those cows you are leaving behind you. All those cows that don't have the courage to follow in your foot steps. Go ahead, get that attitude on, you earned the right to hold your head high and your chest out, you are an elite.

There isn't one athlete I know who is where he or she wants to be, that's what being an athlete is all about. It's about pushing yourself and finding what you are made of. It's about marveling at the magic that is in you. The magic that lets you come back from every effort stronger. The magic to be comfortable with sweat and the peace you feel after you gave full measure.

Even on those days that you give all you have and fall short of the goals you set, you still have the courage and the strength of will to shake it off and get back in the fight. Some times it doesn't seem like it but you are a hero to someone, maybe you are inspiring someone and don't even realize it.

Hold your head high today fellow athletes.

Thanks for reading.

Warrior Panda