Becca was the first woman from the United States to complete the World Marathon Challenge - seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.
Let me repeat that. Seven marathons. On seven continents. In. Seven. Days.
That's 27 hours of running, 183 miles on foot, and 23,000 miles flown from Antarctica to Australia.
DAMN.
Now that you've probably picked up your jaw from the floor, you're probably thinking, "How the hell did she DO that?! I can't even run a mile!"
For Becca, there was no doubt, none whatsoever, that she would finish. Becca prepared for a year for this challenge. She ran 100 miles a week, and while that may not be surprising, what you're about to read next is:
Becca is a single mom who works two jobs.
This lady is freakin' Wonder Woman. And, I may add, my new hero. She may only be 5'1", but she has the grit to take on the world. Literally.
Becca is quite the inspiration for me and all the other whiners of the world who have an excuse when it comes to training or working out.
She says that from the very first day, she had to "get comfortable with being uncomfortable".
What does that mean?
It means training when you don't want to . Working out even though you're tired. Putting the cookies away and eating the apple. Running an extra mile. Doing 10 more push-ups. Kicking the bag an extra 10 times.
You get the idea.
The Spartans of ancient Greece did not lead a luxurious life. They disdained comfort, and held up as an example their rival city-state of Athens. How weak their army was, and how decadence permeated their society. Anything that caused the Spartans to be complacent was shunned. The Spartans believed that they were the direct descendants of Heracles (Hercules) himself, and as such, owed their allegiance to Zeus Almighty. They believed that complacency was the path to weakness. They disdained anything that kept them at home - cushions, pictures on the wall, etc. And they constantly trained. After all, the more you sweat in practice, the less you'll bleed in battle.
Now, I'm not asking you to throw out all of your comfy furniture, but, in order to not be complacent with your life, I am asking you to get off it once in a while. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
At the moment, I am experiencing this phenomenon.
Back in 2011, I earned my black belt in Shotokan karate, and then promptly quit. I told myself I needed a break, that I was bored, that I shouldn't train because I was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White (a rare heart disorder), blah, blah, blah. Excuse after excuse after excuse. I fell into complacency.
I lost a lot. Muscle. Stamina, My self-confidence. Everything I learned. Lately, my husband and I have been training in self-defense at the house. It's not as rigorous as what I learned in karate, but it's enough to make me hurt and exhausted. Take last night, for example. My husband and I had only just returned home from a visit to the Springs Preserve. It was a beautiful spring-like day, and we had lunch, walked the museum galleries, and did an easy three-mile hike. I was completely worn out, but trained with my husband anyway. Toward the end of our workout, I found it so difficult to execute a jab/reverse punch combo - a signature move for me. I started getting discouraged, my husband noticed, and we finished the training. I got so upset that I couldn't do the jab/reverse punch, I almost started crying. As my husband and I talked about it, I realized that I haven't trained for FIVE YEARS. Of course my techniques aren't going to be at the same level they were the last time I trained.
Now, of course, I have to relearn what I lost, and that means pain. It also means having the mental fortitude to work through the pain, and to throw five more jab/reverse punch combos. Or 10. Or however many I have left in me.
Getting back into shape, and training to defend myself will not be an easy journey. It will be painful, tiring, and occasionally discouraging.
But, at least I will be comfortable with it.
Click here if you would like to watch the interview Becca did with CBS news.
If you've never been to the Springs Preserve (and I highly recommend that you visit), you can check them out here.
Until next time,
Be beautiful. Be victorious.
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