Check cheddar like a food inspector.

Can I tell you a secret?
Every time I think about going for run, there's a little voice in my head that says "you're not gonna make it homie". No joke, the voice in my head is a ride-till-you-die thug.

Seriously though, I know I will make it - regardless of how far I need to run, but there's always an asshole inside me tell me that I can't. I hate that little gangster. I posted this up on my fridge a while ago, before I even knew I was going to run a marathon, and I guess sub-consciously I knew I would need to look at it at some point to help me get/stay motivated.

That chick's arms are mental. Totes for real. 

There is definitely something to be said about raising the bar and pushing your limits. In anything that you do. Whether you run a marathon or knit a scarf or get a masters degree - most of us often only do what we have to. And while the bare minimum can suffice, it can also get boring. I'm guilty of it  - doing just enough to get by. What I'm learning through this challenge I've embarked on though, is that it's not necessarily about results. Pushing yourself because you CAN, and not because you HAVE TO, reaps a greater reward than an A+ or being first at the finish line. It's a golden slice of gratification only you can give yourself; it's pride, it's fulfillment, its satisfaction. And it makes you hella strong. 

You know what else is good? New shoes. No more shin splints, thank you very much. 

So tomorrow morning, I will lace up my new kicks, and I will push myself to raise the bar. And if I may, I suggest you do the same. Put on a pair of proverbial Nikes and kick ass at whatever you know you can kick ass at. Oh, and tell the little homie in your head that he/she couldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight.