BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Make Your Why Bigger Than Your Excuses

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about excuses. We all make them right? When it comes to getting in those workouts, the top ones for skipping them are feeling too tired, not having enough time, the weather is unfavorable, and/or simply not being in the mood. While giving into excuses every once in a while might not hinder your success, making it a habit certainly can. Which is the very reason your "why" you CAN and SHOULD get in those runs and sign up for those races must be bigger than your "why" it's okay to give in to your excuses and then deal with the regret you'll experience later. Especially when you see the social media posts of your friends crossing the finish line of one of the awesome races the Bass Pro Shops Fitness Series puts on. 

If this has you wondering what prompted this subject, let me share a story I read yesterday morning titled "Maine runner who is blind and deaf finishes 6 world marathons." I found this story so inspiring that I wanted to share it with you. It’s a story of what a person can accomplish when they refuse to let their situation become an excuse for not going after their goals. So, without further ado, here's the story... 

Declining vision led Dennis Lavoie of Madawaska to retire early in 2019, at the age of 56. And while he knew he would eventually become totally blind, he decided to start running — a decision that just six years later would lead to him earning a prize known as the Six Star Medal. That medal recognizes runners who have completed six of the most established marathons across the world, in the cities of Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York and Tokyo. That was the original set of races recognized by an organization called Abbott World Marathon Majors, which awards the Six Star Medal.

Lavoie is afflicted with Usher Syndrome Type 2, a hereditary condition that causes profound hearing loss and eventual blindness. The condition causes blindness through the loss of peripheral vision. Lavoie said he is currently 70 percent deaf and is limited to a mere four degrees of peripheral vision in each eye. A visual field of less than 20 degrees is considered legally blind, according to the American Optometric Association.

The fact that Lavoie will one day completely lose his vision was a major motivator to get involved in marathon running. He said he does not like to consider himself disabled, but instead thinks of it as leading a different type of lifestyle. “I knew I had to take a different path in life than normal people would,” he said, “but I think I did OK. I became a mechanical engineer and worked in the paper industry.”

The loss of vision significantly started in 2018, at which point Lavoie’s doctor did not know he was blind. It began affecting his driving. On two occasions his car ended up in a snow bank. At one point he almost struck a young girl, which ultimately convinced him to stop driving and retire early.“I went to the mill the next day and said ‘I’m done,’” he said. The next day, he said he asked God what was next. His dog jumped in his lap, so they went for a walk. He decided to start walking to lose weight, and after a few months this turned to running.

Then he ran a virtual 5K and started getting involved in races. In 2021, he ran marathons in Idaho, Chicago and New York. Lavoie is led by a guide runner. They both hold onto a rope tether, and the guide runner lets Lavoie know if any obstacles, such as potholes or railroad tracks, are coming up.

He registered a time of 3:43:07 at the Chicago Marathon, a time fast enough to let him compete in the Boston Marathon, where he later registered a personal best time of 3:34:49. It was at the Chicago Marathon that Lavoie noticed some people wearing the Six Star Medal. He asked around and learned about the achievement.

And with his vision closing in, he decided to go for it. “I know I’m gonna go completely blind one day,” he said. “Why not travel? I’ve always liked to travel.”

Earlier this month, Lavoie accomplished that goal when he finished his final marathon in Tokyo... 

Looking back on the six-year journey from early retirement to joining a class of roughly 20,000 world athletes, Lavoie said it has been an immensely rewarding and spiritual experience. “Running with God is a beautiful journey,” he said. “I know my limits mentally and physically, but there are no limits spiritually. My faith has grown a lot since I started running.”

Wow right? There are so many excuses Dennis could have made! After all he could hardly see or hear. But his "why" was so much BIGGER! His vision was diminishing rapidly, he wanted to travel, and he made a goal! 

And, while you and I might not be losing our vision or our hearing, we are losing precious time each and every day. That's just a fact of life. Time stands still for no one, time passed can never be regained, and tomorrow is never guaranteed. Which is the very reason "why" you and I shouldn't make excuses why we can't get fit and/or stay fit. You don't have to necessarily run a marathon, but we all need to exercise our minds and bodies on a daily basis to ensure that we get the most out of life. So get out there with a smile on your face today and get in some purposeful steps working toward the goal of your choosing. Looking back, you’ll be so glad you did!

Happy Running!