I can’t believe it’s already Thursday. I have so much to get done and it just keeps getting pushed further down the list. Last Friday, I attended an event put on by Saucony and their #FindYourStrong campaign. They were displaying their new Kirvara 3 shoe which has a ton of new features to help improve your experience running. Saucony uses awesome features and graphics on their website to explain the new technology in the shoe. Check it out yourself!
If you are really interested here is a great video comparing the Kirvara 3 with the Kirvara 2.
The Find Your Strong event was great and filled with a lot of inspiring people. I even got to meet the fabulous Whitney from Live Run Love Yoga!
The event featured 3 inspiring athletes who through life’s ups and downs have had to find their strong to keep moving along.
Bill Rodgers, a 4x Boston Marathon winner.
Karen Smyers, 3x world triathlon champion and Ironman Kona champion
Mark Herzilch, cancer survivor and 2012 NFL Super Bowl Champion
Each athlete got on stage and talked about their athletic experiences and life challenges. They all had different paths to success and each one was just as inspiring, challenging and motivating as the next.
I think I developed a slight crush on Mark Herzlich while he was talking! (shh… don’t tell Vinnie). He had an amazing stage presence, was very articulate and his story is incredible. In his junior year of college, about to be drafted to the NFL, he was diagnosed with bone cancer and was told he would most likely walk with a limp for the rest of his life and would playing football again was out of the equation. Well, he fought those odds, and with the support of his family, team and friends he was able to conquer cancer, play and the NFL and become a Super Bowl champion. So so so cool! I could of listened to him forever, but clearly that was not possible so I had to take his main points and I will carry them with me: with hard work and a lot of support you can conquer anything.
Like Mark, Karen Smyers had a lot of set backs in her career. From slicing her hamstring muscle, getting hit by a 18 wheeler or breaking many bones she was able to find the positive, make the best of the situation and move on. She emphasized 3 p’s (much like I emphasize the 4 P’s) Passion, Positive Attitude, Perseverance. She fought hard for her wins and a lot of them were won when she conquered her attitude and found the will inside of herself. You can train as hard as humanly possible but if your attitude is out of whack, you still won’t succeed. She said something that really resonated with me, and after the ridiculous heat of the Boston Marathon I assume a lot of those runners as well.
“Not succeeding the first time is not failing, as long as you keep trying you are doing ok.” – Karen Smyers
Billy Rodgers was a ball of optimism. He was so happy and proud of every person in the room. To him, just being an athlete is an accomplishment, and I agree! He reminded us that sometimes you get hit, but you can always come back. Never forget it!
At the end, all the athletes got on stage for a Q & A with the audience. Check out Dorothy crushing it on he big screen!
They also paid a special tribute in memory of Caballo Blanco, mythic hero of Born To Run, given by Luis Escobar, his close friend and a renowned ultra-marathoner. It was an amazing night and such an inspiring event and in my opinion that is what the Saucony #findyourstrong campaign is all about.
Question:
How do you Find Your Strong?
