"I Think I Can, I Think I Can!"

In the 8th grade, one of my teachers told my parents that I reminded him of the Little Engine that Could. I had made the team to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and as we were climbing to the peak on the last day my group fell behind. The tour guide told us that we would have to go back to the cabin. My heart dropped, I knew I could make it to the top. One of the other tour guides came up to my friend Saleem and I and told us that he knew we could make it to the top and that he would take us. He saw the, I think I can, I think I can, mentality in us. I made it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro that day. But that was only the beginning of my Little Engine that Could, story. 

In 2010, I was introduced to running. Actually, my running friends called my running, The Rochelle Shuffle. Sometimes my run was slower than a walk, but I made sure I never stopped. I would shuffle along until I finished the amount of miles I had committed to. I shuffled my way through my first half marathon in October 2010. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done! There were times when I wanted to stop, but that little voice in my head, I think I can, I think I can kept going. 

I would love to tell you that as you get faster that the I think I can voice goes away, but it doesn't. As you get stronger, your goals get more and more challenging. I showed up to the Buffalo Stampede Half Marathon race with one thing on my mind, 'getting under 2 hours.' There were so many times when I told myself that I would be happy with just a PR during that race, but I knew that I needed more than a PR, I needed to see a 1 as the first number in my finishing time. 

As I chant I think I can, I think I can in my head during a race, God chants to me, I know you can, I know you can. With hard work, consistency, and faith, my shuffle slowly started to become a run. As I look at my running pics from 2014, I still freak out! I did it, I am REALLY  running! Lol! 

The reason why I get so excited about all this is because I didn't always think any of this was possible. I filled myself with excuses that only thin girls could be runners. I told myself that 10 minute miles were the limit for girls like me. God showed me other wise. He showed me that I could be a runner if I wanted to be. He also showed me that girls like me, can run half marathons under a 9 minute mile pace too. He showed me that ALL things are POSSIBLE through Him. 

I am sharing my story with you today because if you're a runner, I know you have the I think I can mentality. I also know that if you are someone who dreams to run under a 2 hour half marathon that it's possible. My story is proof that a 2:31:14 is only  the beginning, not the end. All it takes is faith, patience, consistency, and hard work!