Just a little bit about me… My name is Tanya and I am a congenital double amputee, which means I was born that way. Five years ago, I began my running journey at the age of 21 and it has changed my life in a tremendous and exciting way. It opened my eyes and made me realize that I am strong and capable of so much more. The first time I tried on my running blades, I felt like I was flying. And, that feeling of flying, I wanted to feel over and over again. If you ask me why I run today, it’s simple – I run because I can.
My goal for 2017 is to run my first marathon! Last year was a good year for me from an athletic stand point! I reached my personal record in my half marathon, 10K and a 5K! But my hard work lead to a minor injury that I am still paying for today! Injury is just a little setback telling us slow down and calm down! 🙂
I am excited for this 2017 year because I want to take that challenge of running a marathon and truly challenge my mind. Let’s be honest – running a marathon is not a joke, even for a fully-abled athlete!
We all have goals, dreams and we all have responsibilities! I have three challenges for you for 2017. The first is that I challenge you all to have a goal that is possible to do but you have to work for it, like really work hard on it. It can be a simple one or one that is more of a challenge, but choose something you will be proud of in the end, such as a non-stop mile run or getting all A’s in school!
The next challenge is to accept help when you need it! Accepting help is a huge problem for many because it feels like you are worthless, which we all know is not true! Accepting help means you are ready for something different and you just need somebody else to help you with it.
But accepting help leads to giving back, which is my final challenge to you. Giving back is an excellent way to say thank you to all who have helped and supported you! I challenge you all to give/do one kind act each day! It can be as simple as paying for stranger’s coffee to giving your time and volunteering with kiddos.
There are so many ways we can challenge our body, mind and spirit! There are so many ways we can give and receive!
I can’t wait to run my first marathon. It will be pursuing my big goal of doing something so difficult for me, but also encouraging others who are in need of little push to get moving and get excited about life. This is true no matter how many limbs you have or don’t have!
Join me on this journey by following my story and let’s encourage each other as we work toward our 2017 goals.
Knit Rite 