Comfort Zone

Thermostat must be just right....not too cool not too warm.  Weather to go outside must be just right....not too humid, not too cold, not too windy, rainy, snowy...etc etc.  Must sleep 8 hours at least to be rested, can't get up too early.  Food can't be too spicy, coffee isn't fresh enough.  WHERE IS MY SMART PHONE!!!!??????  Everything has to be comfortable.

After running the Richmond Marathon in 2012 I was at a table talking with some friends.  My performance in the Marathon was ok, I think I finished in 3:58, but it wasn't where I wanted to be.  I wanted more.  I told my friends this, and one of them said "The only way to get better is to get out of your comfort zone."  Wow did that change everything and what a difference some perspective makes.  That race was my 9th Marathon I think.   Each one of these marathons was the same story, I trained the same way.  A few runs during the week and two months before the marathon, I'd throw in a weekend long run.  That's it, nothing else.  But I really took what he said to heart.

I started to run longer distances, log more miles during the week.  I incorporated speed work into a couple runs a week.  I put myself on a clean diet to lose weight and gain speed.  I really got out of my comfort zone.  The workouts were hard at times, but the most challenging workouts gave this huge rush of accomplishment.  And, what do you know, by my next Marathon, 10 months later, I improved my time by 25 minutes!

It's easy to get caught in your Comfort Zone, no matter what you're doing in life.  And if you stay there, you may be ok, you may get through, but will you ever reach your potential?  Will you ever understand your own strength?  Will you ever really feel ALIVE???