My niece graduated from high school last week. As part of her scrapbook, her parents asked family and friends to write a note, poem etc to her. I didn't want to send the same old "reach for the stars..." greeting card message. Karen and I realized that if there is one thing we know, it is that training for and competing in a marathon offers many life lessons. Here is the letter we sent:

Life is a Marathon

Take it from us... life is a lot like running a marathon. What it takes:

Patience

Devotion

Focus

Toughness

The ability to adapt to what the day throws at you

Worry about the things you can control... learn to deal with the things you can't control.

Enjoy the good days and good times because they do not always last.

Persevere through the rough times because they do not last either.

Planning pays off

Long term goals are reached through many short term achievements

It is hard... really hard.

All of the pain and struggle is erased when you reach the finish line.

Nobody wants to hear your excuses.

Your family and true friends will revel with you in the successes.

Usually, the toughest, hardest routes are the most rewarding.

Some days it feels like the wind is always in your face. It isn't.

Some hills feel like they will go on forever. They won't.

There are no shortcuts.

The clock is always ticking. It does not care.

The race is where we learn what we are made of.

Believe

Trust yourself