I fell in the middle of Kroger two weeks ago

Two weeks ago, I was doing my normal grocery shopping. When I got to the beverage aisle, I felt a horrible shooting pain from my back all the way down my left leg. I immediately fell to one knee and paused.

Well, looks like we did it again…

You see this was not the first time my back has given out, but it certainly was the worst. My whole life I have been battling a condition called Isthmic Spondylolisthesis, so this wasn’t something I was unfamiliar with. After I found the strength to get up and limp to my car, I went straight home and put on that dreaded back brace.

The worst part was that I was just starting to get into the peak of my marathon training. Just when I was starting to feel confident, I had become crippled. This injury had already taken much throughout my lifetime, but why more? Why me?

After all the thoughts settled, I knew I had to take this one on the chin. It wasn’t going to get better if I thought about how bad it was. 

I was locked in before, but if I wanted to run this marathon on an injured back, I would have to really lock in.

So, I worked overtime doing yoga. My back hurt too much to run so I biked. Breathing exercises became a new way to test my lungs. And most importantly, I was deliberate with prayer and meditation.

Then race day came.

Throughout the gruesome day of running, I was full of excruciating back pain, but eventually I came out on top. I did it. (Just don’t ask me my time…)

Now, I’m not saying this to boast, or flaunt how tough I think I am.

Actually it’s the opposite.

Many of you reading this may be experiencing lows far worse than my own and this is to tell you that you can still get out of that rut. You can still achieve your goals. You can overcome this.

You can be clutch.

Being clutch isn’t just some fun sports term in my eyes. It’s denying your reality to make the one you want. It’s finding the will to make a way. It’s putting your trust in God that things will get better.

You all have it in you to be clutch, to be great regardless of your circumstances.

After all, that’s why I always say stay clutch at the end of my letters and not be clutch.

You already have it.

Stay Clutch,

Luke