I’ve never been the cool kid.

I’ve never been the athletic kid.

I’ve never been the picked for a team first kid.

Actually, I was usually one of the last kids.

You know what?

NONE OF THAT MATTERS!

Today is my birthday and it makes you reflect on things.

  As a kid you always think these things are the worst thing in the world.  Even if someone told you otherwise, you would never have believed them.  You think your life is set in stone.   You think that these things are the end of the world.   Then you become an adult and realize that none of it matters.

Not in the least.

The older I get the more comfortable I’ve gotten in my own skin.

I’m actually pretty cool

I’m actually with the right sport pretty athletic.

They should have picked me first.   They don’t know what they were missing if they had just given me a chance.

I bet I could out run them now:)

I will say that these things and other things in my childhood shaped the way I look at the world.   Would I change some of them.   Probably so, but then I don’t know if I would be the person that I am today.   These things shaped the way I look at the world.    For me, I think these things shaped me for the better..

I’m more empathetic.

I usually root for the underdog.

I fight a little harder for things.

I never give up.

and most of all….

I know that I am a survivor.

These are all very good traits and the last two are very useful in my running life too.    I am now less than a month away from the Dirty German.   My first foray into the Ultra Running.   My training as of late has been spotty with my ankle, but I’m back on track.   You think I would be worried, but I’m not.   No, I do NOT think this is going to be easy.   That being said, I’m also not panicking (yet).   I’m pretty calm about it.   I think what helped is that I did do the trail marathon in January.   It wasn’t easy, but I also didn’t feel like I was going to die.   I also didn’t feel like I couldn’t have kept going.   Yes, that was January and this is now.    But I’m still feeling pretty solid in this.   My training up until my ankle was solid.   Rock solid.   I’m not going into this for time, but time on my feet.

Besides I’m tenacious, don’t like to give up, and like to do things that surprise people.   Even myself:)