#MyChicagoMarathon No. 15

Previously, I wrote about how we all deal with pain. We choose to either live with the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Choosing the pain of discipline has an easier aftermath.

One of my all-time favorite quotes is "Discipline yourself so no one else has to." - John Wooden

For years, I've worn the words 'DISCIPLINE YOURSELF ' on my RoadID as a constant reminder.

I want to give credit to my parents for setting me on a path that would instill discipline in myself at a pretty young age.

Let's rewind to the early 1990s...

West Branch was (and still is) a powerhouse football program among small schools in the state of Iowa. As a result, West Branch Football was my first true love. It’s all I wanted to do. In fact, my goal setting, and planning, and thinking didn't really go beyond the fall sports season of my senior year of high school. I would have plenty of time to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, after I’d finished playing football at West Branch. I know that it probably sounds silly to read this (coming from an elementary school principal in his mid-30s), but all I ever wanted to be was a really good football player for West Branch and win a state championship like my heroes did when I was in grade school.

Image via @wbbearsfootball Twitter page

As an upper elementary school age child, my Dad started to take me into the high school weight room in West Branch. At the time, being around my football heroes who were stars in my eyes was the best. But in the long run, what I probably wasn't aware of at the time, it was this practice that set me on a path for a lifelong commitment towards my fitness and my health. Going to the weight room, and trying to emulate the work of my heroes, became a routine. I wasn't power-lifting (nowhere close), but I was developing a habit. And, ever since, this habit of exercise has remained a constant in my life.

My football career ended-up okay. I don't know that I was ever a star, but I was a two-year starter on offense and a two-way starter my senior year. We didn't win a state championship, but we did go 9-0 in the regular season my senior year and win a district championship. Furthermore, my success in high school even afforded me the opportunity to play football at the collegiate level (a small division three school, nonetheless). None of this was a credit to my natural athletic ability; I owe all of what I accomplished (athletically) to the passion and commitment that I possessed.

As an adult, I think of myself as being very driven and highly disciplined. I trace those traits back to my early love for West Branch Football AND my parents (both my Dad and my Mom) for putting me into situations that were supportive of that love. Thank you, both. It is that drive and that discipline that allows me, now, to commit to a 20-week training plan, running five days a week in-order to prepare to run a distance (26.2 miles) that I once never thought imaginable.

This October, I am running the Chicago Marathon. Leading up to the race, I'm using this space (my blog, this is post number fifteen!) to document my journey. Until next time, I'll close with a shameless plug to my fundraising page (linked); I encourage you to visit, and (if you are able/willing) donate (I'm only (roughly) $300 short of my goal; THANKS to ALL who have donated!).

I hope that you'll follow me on this journey, and I hope you enjoy my story.

#MyChicagoMarathon No. 14

A couple of weeks (maybe a month) ago, I wrote the following after completing a run:

Just because I run (regularly), doesn’t mean it’s easy (for me)
The agony endured while running is just less than the agony that lives inside my head if/when I don’t (run and/or workout)
It’s psychological warfare within myself (within all of us, constantly)

This past week, while running, I was listening to my friend Danny Bauer's Better Leaders Better School podcast - Episode 204 How Elite Performers Show Up - when his guest, Chanie Wilschanski shared the following quote from Jim Rohn.

"We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weights tons."

I immediately fell in love with that quote. And listening to content like this (that has me so fired up and excited) does something inside of my head where I forget that I'm running (while my pace increases and my fatigue lessens). It's amazing; it's one of the best feelings in the world, actually.

I (think I/try to) choose the pain of discipline. Fortunately, that pain is mitigated knowing that I am avoiding the pain of regret. But that doesn't mean that it's easy. In regards to running, I still grind my way through most of my runs. And that's one of the things that I love about running; doing something that isn't easy, but doing it anyways. That's discipline, and I'm excited about a couple of the ideas that I have for future posts to write to relate back to this idea of discipline and how it relates to me, as a runner.