Lessons learned from a race

Hi friends:

Yesterday, I started one of my New Year's goal with a Half-Marathon in Houston. I finished 5 marathons and a few half-marathons already. My long term goal is to stay fit and healthy all my life.

I decided to run this year since last year when I signed up for it. It's a goal I want to accomplish to get myself in good shape and also to prove it to myself that I can do it if I set my heart and mind to do. I realized now that the body just has to obey the decision from the heart and mind.

I felt so excited the night before. I did not eat dinner so that my body can be lighter. I slept early setting my alarm o'clock to 4:30 a.m. to wake up. I got my mind into a frame of mind that no matter what the temperature tomorrow may be, I will get out there and run it anyway. No matter how tired my body may be I will not quit. I will get it done. I will cross the finish line. With God's help I know I will. I did.

13.1 miles may not be a long distance; but it's a challenging 13.1 miles for any first timer because it's full of up and down; full of distractions with lots of cheers from runners, walkers and spectators. Full of dangers, filled with holes and cracks, uneven surfaces, slippery slopes and up-hills. They tested my will. They challenged my mind. They proved that I must know and believe that my body, my soul, my mind and spirit can and will achieve what I've set out to do.

Running among almost 20,000 runners, walkers, I must run the race alone. No one can do this for me. They can encourage me, but I have to do it by myself. It's a spiritual race for me as well. I have to put everything else aside. I have to drop every heavy weight and entanglement so that I can run free.

I know that God is on my side, talking, walking, running alongside of me, but I have to take one step at a time.

Through all the aches and pains and tiredness, I have to reach the finish line. The goal is always on my mind. The reward is there, a medal to prove it to myself one more time. The rest is there once I am done. I know it. The transport van was driving alongside us to see if anyone quit.

I don't start a race with quitting on my mind. Nobody does. It's not how well you start a race, but how well you finish one.

As I walk and run, I set my mind to tell my body to reach the next mile and the next mile. One mile at a time. One step at a time.

Then I broke that one-mile goal down to one hundred yard each time. I told my mind to tell my body to reach that one hundred yard a time. One after the other. It's fun, and it's a lot of lessons learned.

I learn that I first have to have a vision, a dream that I want to accomplish.
I believe that I can do it. I believe that I will cross the finish line.

I then learn that I must have a long term goal and short term goals.

Then I have to work to train my body, my mind to do it no matter what happens. My desire is to finish it, to cross the finish line with my head and hands raised. I can see myself crossing the finish line.

Then I just put my step down one at a time all the way to the finish line.

My body is recovered now. It feels so good to finish a goal and ready to set the next one. There are so many goals and dreams to accomplish. Life is wonderful, fill of awe and wonders.

I am setting my eyes on the next goal, on the next race in the next city.
What are your goals this year? What do you believe you can accomplish this year?
It's worth venturing out beyond the comfort zone and work hard to reach your goals and to realize your dreams.

Success is the progressive realization of a worthwhile goal.

My vision is to walk, run, dance with the Spirit of God and to go with Him wherever He may lead me. I am not afraid to try and to learn new things and to realize new goals.

Linh Nguyen, a Finisher