Hurdle of Opportunity

By: Jeff Helgestad ~ your average runner with a positive outlook

Everyone has some competitiveness in them but often times it is being competitive with ourselves.  While it may be chasing a PR for time, distance, meeting new fitness goals, or accomplishing any other goal in life, we strive to be the best version of ourselves we can be!

When we look at things in a positive way such as a “hurdle of opportunity” instead of an “obstacle” we have taken the most important step in achieving great things!  A positive outlook helps us dig deep, push harder, perform better, and meet our goals.  A positive outlook is also contagious and helps everyone around you!  The great thing about the trail community is that folks are there to support, cheer each other on, help motivate and inspire others, and most importantly provide that encouragement for reaching tough goals.

I believe everyone can benefit from training and preparing for the tough things!  What do I mean by that…well it may include running in cold rain and wind, or a cold snowy day, or maybe doing your long run at night, or possibly doing all that vert training on a hot humid day.  When we put ourselves in those situations it enhances our mental toughness!  The other benefit is that it allows us to test all of our gear in these situations.

When we embrace these moments it helps us prepare and perform better for when we are put in those situations for real.  We can believe in ourselves, believe in our training, believe in our mental toughness, and believe we can do this and succeed because we have previously taken on that “hurdle of opportunity” and overcome it!

Jeff Helgestad ~ your average runner with a positive outlook