“If,” by Rudyard Kipling, is a poem that speaks to keeping your head during the difficult times, in staying true to your work efforts when sh*t hits the fan, and about maintaining integrity even when the world starts getting dicey. It’s about persevering through the tough times. For some reason, it really hit home this month. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I ran across this poem through a friend’s link to an article about Chrissie Wellington, an English triathlete (and personal hero of mine) who describes some of her key strategies for preparing and training for some of her biggest races. The top ten tips, published in Shape magazine and Active.com, are applicable to both race preparation as well as life. I was inspired – not just by her dedication to the sport and her passion for doing what she does – but also by the poem that she writes on her water bottle when she races. It’s not during mile 1 or mile 5 that you need motivation. It’s during mile 30, when your blisters are oozing, your mind is wondering why you’re even doing what you’re doing, you’re not seeing clearly, and you’re outside, alone. For anyone in the trenches of hard work – here’s a poem for perseverance.
—