Motivating Others

People ask me all the time where I find the motivation.   I don't really "find" it, sometimes I have to make it, and even then sometimes it's totally gone and I have to find some way to get it back.

This morning was the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure here in St Louis. I've signed up for the Komen race every year for the past 8 years, and have this is the 2nd one Ive missed. After my fall down the stairs 2 weeks ago, I came to the realization that there would be no way I'd be able to run it today.   And I was right.. or so I thought.    The paid has subsided, and now the area is just a little tender... but as I was on that treadmill this morning at Gold's Gym, I was listening to my ipod, watching the coverage on tv and thinking about my Aunt Carol who, 11 months ago was diagnosed with breast cancer.  July 12, I believe is the date.   Anyway - She was downtown this morning walking with thousands of people in a sea of pink, and I kept thinking of them.  I increased that speed to 5.0 and I ran those 3.1 miles... for every woman who has battled, and fought for her life...  for every woman that is still fighting, and for those woman who have lost their lives.  Breast Cancer's a bitch...  and Thank you Aunt Carol, today YOU were my  motivation.  

Today at the gym I saw a guy that I see often.  I see him every Saturday and Sunday morning.  He's a bigger guy, about 6ft, around 350 lbs.    He's always on the treadmill, and that's usually why I notice because that's the first place I go too.  Anyway - I finished my 3.1 miles and go to work on my upper body.  We pass each other at the water fountain, and as Im refilling my water bottle I said hello and asked how much weight he'd lost... to which he replied "75 lbs".   I told him I had noticed and to keep up the great work.   Then he asked me how I run so much.    I asked him what he meant, and he said, "I cant run".   I said "Yes you can.  It's in your head, and it's mind over matter."    I told him what works for me, told him about Couch to 5K, explained how it worked, etc  and that he should give it a shot. He said thanks, I said no problem take care, and we went our separate ways.

A little while later, as I'm finishing up my work out I look to the treadmills, and he's running.  Little did I know, as I was being motivated, someone else was being motivated by me.