Several years ago I hurt my knee pretty badly in a car accident. Confined to bed with no movement in my leg for three days and a limited range of motion for another three weeks, I was depressed. I had been running lightly and was disappointed that I was no longer able to get out there to run. After several months of weight training and sports therapy I was back on the road and the trails. I later switched gears to build more mass so I stopped doing so much running and hit the gym on a pretty regular basis.

Fast forward to 2009 when I began training for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Half-Marathon. I picked up running again in the Fall of ’09 and found myself well ahead of schedule with my training. I was actually so much ahead of schedule that I registered for an earlier race. Some of you may have heard the story but, one week prior to that race, I strained my Achilles tendon. Plagued with the injury, initially disappointed, I was determined to get over the injury and run the race.

The crew at the office teased me as I could barely walk to my desk. They asked me not to come in without a medal the following Monday. One person even said that they will see my stubborn tail in a wheelchair when I return. Determined to get through it, I finished the race. However, the disappointments did not cease.

As I continued to train for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon I was mindful of the prior injury but the therapy seemed to take care of it. I was excited to see what I could do in my next race. I was disappointed. After all of the training, I actually finished with a worse time than the first race. Overall, I think that I was too conservative with my pace. Determined to get back on track, I continue to train for the next half-marathon. With a prior average pace of 9:35 for a five-mile run, it was ridiculous. I had to do better.

Running for me is therapeutic. I really think that running and people’s performance at the gym reflects their personal drive and determination. I have always liked the idea of going to the gym with a business partner and have in the past. When the person would give up mid-set that says a ton about their drive. They probably don’t think of it that way but it is true.

Being able to bounce back from adverse conditions builds strength and character and those experiences are priceless. As of today, not only have I been able to beat my former pace of 9:35, I was able to shatter it with an 8:11 pace. So remember, when life throws you a curveball, hit it out of the park.