Inspiration

The Runner's World Complete Book of Running, edited by Amby Burfoot, contains a lot of good information about the mental side of running. I like to read the following passage from the book to remind me to keep trying, and keep digging deep:

"We have all learned everything we know physically-- from walking to running a marathon-- by trial and error, so there's no reason to become our own worst enemies when we suffer a setback. From time to time everyone falls short of their goals. It's an illusion to believe that champions succeed because they do everything perfectly. You can be certain that every archer who hits the bull's-eye has also missed the bull's-eye a thousand times while learning the skill."