Friday Five: Favorite Inspirational Quotes

     (My daughter running the 100 yard dash at the Disney Marathon in 2012)

I am participating in the Trifecta Friday Five link-up hosted by Cynthia at You Signed Up for What, Courtney at Eat, Pray, Run DC, and Mar at Mar on the Run. I am sharing five of my favorite inspirational quotes that have helped me stay motivated during Marathon and Ironman training.

1. "Your body can stand most anything. It's your mind that needs convinced."-unknown  This quote always comes to mind as I start a long run.  Earlier this Summer, I had a 16 mile run on my training schedule and I was dreading it!  I procrastinated and tried to talk myself out of it.  Finally, I just headed out the door!  I spent the first 3 miles convincing myself to do the run and by mile 4, I felt great and the remaining 12 miles just ticked away.  My body was completely able to do the run as I had trained well, but my mind just needed reassured.

2. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."-Lao Tzu  This quote is my all time favorite.  My Aunt gave me a bookmark with the quote on it 25+ years ago when I started College.  It is something that has always stuck with me.  I remind myself often about how hard the first step on any type of long journey can be.  I think back to the first time I went out for a run 5 years ago.  I had not run or exercised much at all in years.  I knew it was going to be hard, but I also knew I had to take that first step out the door to get back in shape.  I took that step and have not looked back!  I started that year with goals of completing a Sprint Triathlon and a Half Marathon.  Since then, I have completed several triathlons, including 1 full Ironman, 2 Half Ironman events,  and 4 Marathons, but it all started with that "single step".

3. "I've learned that finishing a marathon isn't just an athletic achievement. It's a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible."- John Hanc 

4. "The temptations to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."-unknown  This quote is something that I came across recently.  The picture below is of me as I finished the Peaks to Portland Open Water Swim last year.  It is a 2.4 mile swim from Peaks Island, Maine to the East End Beach in Porltand.  The water temperature was frigid...somewhere around 53 degrees, the coldest it had been in years and the winds were strong that day making the water extremely choppy.  I was so frustrated swimming against the current. I was using a Fort in the middle of the channel to sight on.  I would count 100 strokes, than look. It seemed like I was barely moving.  Right when my frustration hit it's peak, as I could not feel my hands or toes because of the cold, I had made it past the 

Fort.  When this happened, the current started to pull me into the Finish, making my swim so much easier as I was being pulled into the Shore!

5.  "It's a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you're ready.  I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever ready to do anything.  There is almost no such thing as ready.  There is only now.  And you may as well do it now.  Generally speaking, now is as good a time as any."- Hugh Laurie   This is a long one, but it really hit home a year ago when I read it.  There are so many things I would love to do, but I just never feel like "I'm ready".  This made me stop and think: "What am I waiting for?" I decided that it was time to take on the Ironman journey, something that I had dreamed of doing since High School...Now, was as good a time as any!

Those are Five of my favorite quotes!  Do you have a favorite?  What quote do you use to inspire you?