Be your own underdog

When you’re accustomed to being the underdog, having people expect greatness from you is frightening. Their confidence seems unwarranted, unusual and unnerving. As if having people doubt you would make things easier, help you find your motivation to be awesome and prove them wrong.

There is something about the underdog that gets the energy flowing in just the right way. Underdogs zoom past you on the straightaway when you thought the lead was safe; they hustle up the hill faster than expected or maybe, just maybe, beat you on offense and defense.

Then sometimes, you’re only competing with yourself. You become your own underdog. Confidence is low;  can’t wrap your head around a route, a challenge, a distance. You’ve trained tirelessly in the dark, the cold, the hot, the whatever for the big day. Through it all, you keep your head down and your hopes just high enough. The fight to merely finish soon becomes to the fight to finish fast on race day. You knew you’d trained enough to finish strong, but you keep that sliver of doubt.

Then in the big moment, it all comes together. The nights on the floor stretching and sore, the days chugging chalky protein powder to recover. It all hits home and  you’re showing yourself that yes, you can do this. Yes, you are doing this. And yes, you’re killing it. The last mile marker goes by and you pick up the pace. Faster.

The finish line is in sight. Sprint. Just like when we were kids. I can beat you there. Now go!

It’s amazing what we can do when you really want something. But for some strange reason, keeping the humility, the doubt that you can’t handle it, makes the accomplishment all the better. It makes you fight harder and the victory sweeter.

So keep running, cycle more, push harder. And when it matters most, be your own underdog. Surprise yourself. You’ve got it. You just don’t believe it yet.