Persistence + Resiliency = Freedom

Persistence + Resiliency = Freedom

[fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” min_height=”” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” align_content=”stretch” flex_align_items=”flex-start” flex_justify_content=”flex-start” flex_column_spacing=”” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” container_tag=”div” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” link_color=”” link_hover_color=”” border_sizes=”” border_sizes_top=”” border_sizes_right=”” border_sizes_bottom=”” border_sizes_left=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing_medium=”” margin_top_medium=”” margin_bottom_medium=”” spacing_small=”” margin_top_small=”” margin_bottom_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_dimensions_medium=”” padding_top_medium=”” padding_right_medium=”” padding_bottom_medium=”” padding_left_medium=”” padding_dimensions_small=”” padding_top_small=”” padding_right_small=”” padding_bottom_small=”” padding_left_small=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_vertical=”” box_shadow_horizontal=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” z_index=”” overflow=”” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_blend_mode=”none” video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” absolute=”off” absolute_devices=”small,medium,large” sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_background_color=”” sticky_height=”” sticky_offset=”” sticky_transition_offset=”0″ scroll_offset=”0″ animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” type_medium=”” type_small=”” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ dimension_spacing_medium=”” dimension_spacing_small=”” dimension_spacing=”” dimension_margin_medium=”” dimension_margin_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_medium=”” padding_small=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” hover_type=”none” border_sizes=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_radius=”” box_shadow=”no” dimension_box_shadow=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” background_type=”single” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” filter_type=”regular” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true” type=”1_1″][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”” content_alignment=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” font_size=”” fusion_font_family_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_text_font=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]

It’s no secret that running has become a part of my life. I do it 6 out of 7 days and most of the time without music or podcast. I have difficulty putting the phone down or turning off my computer so this is forced time away from all that. It wasn’t easy to get into this point and still to this day, I push myself to excel whether it’s in time or distance. Running truly has changed my life. Whether it’s through my personal, professional, or spiritual life, I feel like I have finally caught my stride (see what I did there?). If I could sum up what running has taught me as a human, it would be the following…

Persistence + Resiliency = Freedom

In this article, I will go into why I believe this is true. While it may not fit all, my hope is that it helps that one individual looking to elevate their game. I don’t come from money nor am I a slave to it. I work hard in everything I do because my work ethic is engraved into my core. I didn’t go to the best college or grow up with both parents to pass down wisdom but that’s life. What I do have is a belief system that focuses on the things I can control.

As I mentioned before, it wasn’t always this easy to get up at 4:00 am to get ready for a 60-90 minute running workout. I did my first race (Cinco De Miler – 5 miles) in 2013 and that was the hardest thing I did at that time. Today, I am prepping for my first Spartan Ultra race which is a 50K (31 mile) run with 60 obstacles. My journey as a runner hasn’t always been consistent and to double click on that, I really didn’t get into racing until 2015. I did a few races here and there until 2018 when I became a certified trainer. From there, I devoted my time (outside of my professional career) to my personal workouts, group fitness, and personal training. Fast forward to March 2020, all gyms are shut down and we are officially in lock down (quarantine).

Persistence:
With gyms closed, I needed to find a new way to get my workouts in without losing my progress. At the time, I would run 30 miles a week (plus strength training sessions) on average as I was prepping for a Spartan Beast (13 mile run with 30 obstacles) in Montana but that was quickly cancelled. I did my first Spartan Beast in September 2019 where it was a nice reality check of where I stood in the OCR world. I had a ton of work to do and was ready to elevate my game. I knew with the extra time, I could devote more of my schedule to my workouts and get back into serious racing. The next step-up from a Beast was an Ultra. After speaking with a few folks who’ve completed one, my goal was to up my weekly mileage up to 50 miles a week.

At the time of me writing this article, I’m currently in Month 5 – Week 2 of my training program where I will run 45 miles (on top of 4 strength training sessions). If you asked me at the beginning of the year if I would be doing this, I would most likely tell you “no” or “that’s stupid to run that much.” 5 months into this program has built confidence not just in my performance but as a man. It’s built confidence because I’m running (and sometimes keeping up) with others who have trained their whole life or ran at the collegiate level. I’m not tall (short legs) or was born with what some would call “a gift.”

I push myself spiritually, mentally, and physically each day to grow just a little bit. Controlling my breath and being grateful for the opportunity to run fuels my spirit. Pushing the sweat out of my pours and taking in the sounds of the water along Lake Michigan clear my mind to be level headed. Telling myself that I am stronger than I think I am allows me to go further, faster, and longer. Again, I am not gifted but driven. I’m not the best runner nor ever will be but I put my shoes on each day with a purpose to get .001% better each day.

It starts with one step.

Resiliency:
As a member of corporate America, I spend a ton of time at a desk staring at a screen/email. While the career I’m in isn’t physically demanding, it definitely can take a toll on my mental game. Let’s pivot for a second but keep that in the back of your mind.

What I’ve learned about running all year around while living in Chicago is that you have to have resiliency. The beautiful thing about Chicago is that you experience all of the seasons at their best and worst moments. In the summer, you can experience 90 degree days with 100% humidity. In the winter, you can experience 0 degrees with 20 MPH winds. It’s quite humbling to experience as a runner.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, resiliency is defined as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to adversity or change.”

As a runner in Chicago, I’ve learned to adapt quickly on what I thought the weather would be versus reality. You can start your run with the sun on your back only to have dark clouds and large rain drops smacking you in the face all the way home. When you’re on the path, there isn’t much you can do but endure the elements and push through. While this is a way to build resiliency (or character as some would say), I want to pivot back to corporate America and mental stress. As a morning runner, I walk into work (or virtually sign in) level headed ready to take on the day. Clients and/or coworkers could start their day with bringing issues to me but most (if not all) don’t derail my stoic mindset. Running has molded me into a human that can embrace adversity and address it from a logical perspective. Why? I’ve already done something very difficult that the issues being brought to me don’t seem that bad.

We can’t climb mountains if we’re stumbling over every rock. 

Freedom:
Freedom can mean many things for different people. For me, freedom is living a life with no limits. At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that I don’t come from money nor am I a slave to it. I stay true to that statement as I’m driven to fulfill my purpose which is to give whatever I’m invested in 110% and bring light to those around me. In most cases, I do this through fitness which is why I started UNAVIDA on YouTube (shameless plug). I am a realist that life is not all sunshine and rainbows but my universe is comprised of what I’ve build around me.

A stable home fueled by self-care and healthy relationships.

I do this by building myself as an individual so I can help those around me when in need. My discipline to stay focused on the Ultra regardless of the weather has shown me that I am stronger than I believe I am. I’ve yet to see what my full potential is and that’s exciting. Everything else in life just seems to be so much easier when I compare it to my training. Maybe I’m crazy or don’t know what I’m talking about but it’s how I feel. I am truly free and the happiest I’ve ever been.

Focus on the things you can control and the rest will follow.
Persistence + Resiliency = Freedom
-Omar

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]