What Doesn't Kill Us?...

 I recently read another book by Dean Karnazes, the Ultramarathon Man, entitled “Run”. I like to run as a side hobby and suspect that some form of ultramarathon is in my future. Yikes, did I say that out loud? Anyway, he was describing one of his many Leadville, Colorado ultramarathons and how at some point the altitude got to him and he passed out and woke up unable to speak. He could hear words like “brain hematoma” and “get him down the mountain quick” going on around him. When he became conscious again, his first thought was that Leadville had kicked his ass and he was ecstatic! Athlete that he is, he loves it when something gets the better of him and immediately begins plans to train differently to overcome it. Leadville bested him twice before he conquered it and now he’s run it multiple times. Dean inspires me to be tougher. I try to carry that inspiration into times when I just don’t feel like working out, or running faster, or hitting one more tiger form today…

Anything at the kung fu school that is really challenging has this effect on us. This can be a tough class filled with drills, push ups and so many kicks that your legs are trembling uncontrollably when you stop or a material class filled with some of our longest, most difficult forms like we do in 3^rd and 4^th degree class. When you take that class, you usually hit an endorphin rush somewhere in the middle, akin to a “runners high”, where you feel really strong, and you attack the forms with even more gusto. Then at the end of the class, exhausted, you feel so happy, so alive on the planet and very empowered with your own ability to overcome…anything! Everyone needs to have something in their lives that does this for them!