10-6-97Today was a great day for me. For those of you who have taken the small amount of time necessary to read the other pages on this site, like the sports page, you may have guessed that I am a Cross Country runner. However, I was never all that great at it. I did it for the physical conditioning. The reason that I wasn't doing so well was because I have Osgood Schlauter's Disease which affects the knee and my energy levels aren't usually high.

Well, today was different. I believed in my heart that "it was all in my head". I thought that if I ran well and didn't let the pain or fatigue get to me, I could perform better...I was right! I ran 5 consecutive 1200 meter runs at 6:00 minutes each. I ran harder and faster then I ever have before and did it five times, consecutively. It was quite an accomplishment for me.

Now some of you may be thinking that I am doing this to brag, but that's wrong. I'm doing it for all those other athletes out there who are letting their "restraints" hold them back from doing their best. I know that many people believe as I once did, and that they can't do it because of their knees, or ankles, or cramps, or the shoes they wear. It's simply an excuse. Work through the pain and you will do better. Once you do, you will have an elevated sense of pride and a brighter outlook for the future. I'm not saying it's like eating the "Magic Brownies" of the Hippie era, but it is envigorating. Always do your best and the world awaits you.

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