Marshall Ramsey

At the end of four weeks, I was nowhere near Madison Central this morning. Instead of getting up at 4 a.m. for my workout, I got up at 6 a.m. I’m in Greenwood, Missisisppi for a speech. But I didn’t skip my workout. I went to the hotel gym and ran four miles on the treadmill. Then I did 50 push-ups, 50 sit-ups and a two-minute plank.

I travel. And keeping fit no the road is tough. But this isn’t just a passing fad for me. A lifetime commitment means you learn how to be adaptable. No, it wasn’t the same as my PLS workout. But I still managed to burn 700 calories this morning.

I look forward to Tuesday when I’ll be back out on the field again with my friends. Until then, I’ll do what I need to do to make it work — even when I could sleep late.

That’s how you get to the next level.

I’m  writing these blogs because much of what we do out on the field translates to everyday life. Even if you don’t get up at 4 a.m. and throw yourself around a football field, you can still learn from some of these lessons. Because sports and training is a very powerful metaphor for life. And this morning had one of the most important lessons yet.

Attitude makes the average amazing.

I’m not a Pollyanna. I don’t see kittens and rainbows when I’m being crapped on. I get mad, depressed, grumpy and sad just like you do. But I’ve figured out that when you’re going through Hell, your positive attitude will get you through it much quicker than if you’re being negative.

For example:

Our next to the last station was Burpees. Stand up. Go down on your hands and kick your feet out. (Some people insert a push-up here), pull your feet back in. Jump for the sky. Repeat.

Who invented the Burpee? I used to think Satan. But according to Wikipedia (the font of knowledge) “The exercise may have been originated by a man named Lieutenant Thomas Burpee (1757-1839). He was an officer in the New Hampshire Militia during the American Revolutionary War and was described as “having the innate Burpee fondness for martial exercises” in A History of the Town of New London, Merrimack County, New Hampshire.”

That bastard.

Anyway, we started on the goal line. From there,we went to the five and did one Burpee. Then we went to the ten and did two. The 15 was three — and so on. We got almost all the way down the football field. And the Burpees were piling up like compound interest. We were up in the 16 range, I think. I lost track.

I’m in good shape. And it hurt.

On the 50, when we were at 10, I started to say to myself, “this sucks.” But something hit me. I started saying ,”I got this. I can do this. Just make each Burpee the best I can.”

Guess what? When I said it sucked, it did. When I said, “I got this,” I did. It still wasn’t fun. But it was easier because I changed my inner-monologue.

What story are you telling yourself? What challenge are you facing where you can say, “I got this. I can do this? Just make this moment the best I can.”

I was very glad when it was over. We went on to a pretty intense core workout. Ihad that, too.

Thomas Burpee, I don’t like you. But I like the lesson your evil creation taught me this morning.

Imagine you are 18. You’ve been recruited, sought after and now, you’re about to put your pen to the dotted line. You are being given the gift of a college education — but you’ll have to earn it. You have hours of sweat and hard work ahead of you. Long hours on the playing field. Injuries. Time in the classroom. But still, you’re being given the opportunity of a lifetime. You’re about to step onto the stage. What are you going to do with it? How will you change your life?

Do you have a 5-star heart to go with that ability?

I wasn’t a college athlete. I can’t even fathom how exciting National Signing Day is. And it has been a long time since someone recruited me for my talents. But what if we treated today as our own personal National Signing Day? What if we made a commitment to our jobs, our families, our spouses, our friends and our lives? What if we stepped onto the stage with a 5-star heart? Can you make a commitment that will change your life? The lives of everyone around you.

By waking up this morning, you were given a gift. Today is your National Signing Day. Put in the work. And receive your rewards.

Fit4Change blog: Day 13 of 48

I didn’t write about Friday, but it was a leg workout and my legs are still sore from it, so in a way, any discomfort I had today was a leftover from Friday. So there you go. I also ran 11.5 miles on Saturday and 3 yesterday. Coming into today’s workout, my legs were spent.

So guess what we did a lot of today?

If you guessed “run,” you are a genius.

Honestly, I like running and it burns fat well for me. We did the Indian Run (which is an Indian Sprint with Line One), did bags and ladders (quick feet!) and ran four 100-yard sprints. (We also worked in the weight room on chest and arms and did stations with Coach NASCAR). My heart rate stayed way up today. I think it might have been because of the warmth (it felt like summer).

I was sweaty mess.

On the last sprint, I poured everything I had in me onto the fire. Sure, I was tired. But I wanted to prove something to myself. I could push through pain.

Pushing through pain. How many of us pull up when we’re tired? I do.

I’m at a point in my life when I can’t afford to anymore.

Today at 5:55 a.m., I hit a wall and pushed through it. I ran off the field a different man.

Competition is good for the soul. Pick someone who is better than you and work your butt off until you can beat him or her. Push yourself beyond your comfort zone and leave it all out on the field. Use the fire of competition to forge your soul. To push your spirit. And to shape your future.

I come from the participation trophy generation. And I got a few of them along the way. But I’ve learned nothing inspires you more than receiving an award for your hard work. No, I take that back — the sting of losing does, too. Don’t beat yourself up when you do lose. Feel how bad it sucks and then lose from it.

Your worst moments can give you your best education.

I’m in Line One. They are the best athletes and I’m the Clydesdale in the midst of Race Horses. But I want to work out with them. I want to get smoked by them. Because it’s the fuel that makes me better. And I have gotten better. Today, I held my own in a 100-yard sprint. I didn’t finish first. Still, I was up in the front. I will push myself even harder tomorrow.

I’m a Clydesdale with a little bit of speed and a lot of stamina.

Winning isn’t everything. Being out on the field of life competing is. Winning is just gravy. Delicious gravy at that.