By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2017
At some point in time, we’ve all watched a track and field competition. One of my favorite events is the 100-meter hurdles. Actually, for men it’s 110 meters and women hurdle 100 meters.
Depending on what level of competition, most hurdles are spaced anywhere from 6 to 9 meters apart. For a 100-meter dash, there are 10 hurdles to overcome.
These athletes train for running precision, hurdle clearance and utilizing their body’s energy sources.
Admit it, as we watch the hurdle event, we’re all looking for the runner who crashes into one of the hurdles. Notice, when there is a bad spill, the hurdler will still get up and finish the race, along with sometimes bloody knees, hands and elbows.
Some runners clip the top of hurdles which slows them down, but they keep sprinting as fast as possible.
I’ve ran the hurdles in the past as part of my triathlon training program, and it’s really challenging to clear the last few jumps. Even though I would finish sluggish and exhausted, I was proud to complete the task.
Think of the track as your life span. You’re running down the path trying to stay on course, and then life throws a hurdle in front of you.
You are either well prepared to leap over toward victory, or it trips you up. And yes, sometimes the life hurdle will make you crash and burn.
But, we must take on the same mentality as elite hurdlers. There’s no time to walk off the track and give up. We must all jump back up and stay in the race.
Just like the runner’s energy is depleting with each hurdle, you must dig a little deeper to accomplish victory.
One of the worst life hurdles to encounter is a personal health crisis. Depending on the diagnosis, it’s possible you’ll get knocked down. But, don’t let that keep you down. Get back up and keep moving.
If you just lie there hopeless, then you’ll lose the race. There’s no time for self pity. Accept there’s a temporary setback and get back on course.
I’m not just talking about physical movement, you must mentally keep moving as well. When you keep moving, along with a positive attitude, the crises will start to fade. Overwhelming your mind with positive thoughts won’t allow negative thoughts into their space. Make sense?
So now, no matter what hurdle life puts in your path, take that situation to strengthen your character. With each hurdle you defeat, you’ll become stronger, wiser and, hopefully, more loving.