On this unusually cool day in April, I sat in a busy Starbucks planning out my marketing strategy for Pushups for Charity, my first ever charity event in May. When I got a text from a loved one that read, “I’m so glad you’re not a marathoner 🙁 ”
I knew that the Boston Marathon was going on today, but had not yet heard the terrible news…
Only a few hours earlier, I was out on a grassy field, coaching a good client of mine on how to run sprints. We were away from the hustle and bustle of the city streets, and enjoyed the time spent taking her fitness to the next level. After a nice long warm-up, full of foam rolling, dynamic stretching, and activation drills, we set out to run 20 minutes of sprints. I cheered her on as she went from 60% all the way up to 80+% speed by the time she was done.
The people at the Boston Marathon were doing the same thing. Spectators cheered runners on as they expressed their physical fitness in the name of friendly competition. Some were focused on finishing the race under a certain time. Others simply wanted to finish the race without stopping. None of them, however, were prepared for the explosions that injured and killed fellow runners and the fans cheering them on.
Tragic events, such as those on 9/11, and the ones on this day, are a heart-wrenching reminder of how precious life is. Most of the time, we live in a place where we have the freedom and liberty to focus on our health and well being. A place where many of us can go out for a run, head to the gym, or shop for groceries without having to worry about being physically harmed or attacked…
But, there are mentally deranged people who threaten to take that way of life away from us. People who do not know what a runner’s high is, nor take pleasure in getting stronger, or finishing a great workout. They know not what it means to be a healthy, happy, or confident person. Instead, they would much rather rob those feelings of joy away from us.
This day was a solemn reminder that life, liberty, and our pursuit of health and fitness should be cherished, rather than taken for granted.
Let us continue to live our lives according to the words of former Navy Seal, and Afghanistan war veteran, Marcus Luttrell:
Do not be afraid. Do not show fear. Never fear anything–especially cowards. That’s what they want–for us to shut down. We will push past this as we always do…We have been hit before, and sadly, we have been hit again. But, each time we get up, shake the dust off, and continue our way of life. No matter what.
P.S. The men and women who stand up to fight for our right to life, liberty, and fitness, should not be taken for granted, either. I stand with our troops to defend our way of life.
Stand up for your right to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Get fit, give back to our troops, and make a difference with Pushups for Charity. Click here: Pushups for Charity on May 25th
