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7. If You Have A Dream, You Better Have A Team

Excuse me while I praise dance on this one. The most essential part of running toward and in your destiny is who you have on your team. I entered into my third decade determined to only do and roll with things and people who made me happy. This decision lead to one rude awakening after another. People and habits were dropping like flies and consequently incredible opportunities and people started to flow into my life.

When you eliminate the negative, the positive is magnified, and the joy this shift provides is indescribable. They don’t call it growing pains for no reason. It hurt to let those things and people go, but now that I am on the other side, I can tell you it is totally worth it. Protect your energy and don’t let hate derail your fate. I was surrounded with love on November 3, 2013. Friends and family traveled from all over the United States to be with me during my “Destiny Run.” Someone yelled my name and cheered me on from the bottom of their heart each and every mile…and when it got unbelievably tough, many jumped on the course and ran miles alongside me. Without my team, I would’ve never finished. Trust. Your destiny is too big and too important to try and pursue it alone. If you have a dream, you better have a team.

8. Forget Your Timetable: Run Your Race

Every time I told someone I was running a marathon, the first thing they said was, “What do you think your time will be?” I intentionally freed myself of this unnecessary pressure and told myself and them, my only goal is “to finish.” I have no idea what 26.2 has in store and the last thing I want to do is enter in with boundaries that might limit all it’s glory and purpose. But low and behold, around three weeks prior to the race, I started thinking about time. I had training runs that proved I could most likely run a marathon in 4:30 or 4:45. I believed it, and when the gun went off I started mile one with this goal in mind.

However, around mile 14 when my physical and mental strength started to waiver, I realized this ambitious time wasn’t going to happen. I was so mad at myself for letting people make me believe time mattered and even more upset at the fact that I let this pressure effect my performance. The same goes for life. Your friends and family think you should be married by now. You thought you would be further along in your career by now. Your back account doesn’t look like you imagined it would by now. Ask yourself this: Who’s timetable are you on? Run your race. “When” things happen has nothing to do with “if” they will happen. You will get married when it is time. Your career will blossom at the right moment. Money will come (and it will go). I promise, you will “finish” when you are meant to finish, and when you do, “time” will not matter. The key to finishing a marathon is to take it one mile at a time. The same goes for life–take it one moment at a time.

9. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help

Contrary to your several degrees and what your ego tells you, you do not know it all! I’ve learned this lesson the hard way in both life and while running 26.2 miles. Around mile four, I felt my left Achilles swelling. At mile 11, I was hobbling. At mile 14, I could’ve crawled faster than I was running. At mile 15, I told my ego to shut up and went to the medical tent (and even went again at mile 19). I had to let the medical volunteers do their job, so I could finish mine. And if that wasn’t an “ah ha” moment in itself–when I felt like they were wrapping my ankle too tight or when they kept asking me over and over again if I wanted to drop out of the race–I had to encourage them in a moment when I needed encouragement. Talk about transformative. Asking for help takes a whole lot of humility and transparency. Being vulnerable is necessary when it comes to being victorious, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

That’s my top 10 y’all. Grateful to be a marathoner and to have 26.2 miles forever in my heart! I am changed, elated, and unstoppable! XOXO Robbie

Robbie Ann Darby (RAD Experience) is a professional FitGirl, Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer in NYC. Follow her sweaty life on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more fun health and fitness tips!

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