She could tell that the speed test weighed heavy on my mind. While I was running on the frequently used treadmill, she conversed with me about her son, Ashton, which redirected my attention from my exhausted legs to her story. Like usual, my mindset instantly shifted to the seriousness of the workout ahead. That day, in particular, Cindy was more proactive and loud than usual. She turned the music a couple of notches too loud, and anxiously bounded on the toes of her feet as she paced around the room. Cindy asked me, “What are your goals to make today?” She continued to ask me if I planned on running eighteen or nineteen miles per hour, which we both knew were too easy. I hastily responded, “I’m gettin’ that twenty miles per hour today. My legs are warmed up and I’ve been working for so long to not run that fast.” A fearless and expected smirk came across her face, like she had planned for me to run that anyway. Throughout the speed test, I heard a stern and optimistic voice behind me, “Open up, use what I taught you, drive drive drive!” These were also common phrases used by Cindy, but it was different this time. I knew I wasn’t getting off the treadmill until I ran twenty miles per hour, a speed she knew I was capable of running. Her tone of voice in those simple phrases held the most confidence and drive for accomplishment than I’ve ever heard
She could tell that the speed test weighed heavy on my mind. While I was running on the frequently used treadmill, she conversed with me about her son, Ashton, which redirected my attention from my exhausted legs to her story. Like usual, my mindset instantly shifted to the seriousness of the workout ahead. That day, in particular, Cindy was more proactive and loud than usual. She turned the music a couple of notches too loud, and anxiously bounded on the toes of her feet as she paced around the room. Cindy asked me, “What are your goals to make today?” She continued to ask me if I planned on running eighteen or nineteen miles per hour, which we both knew were too easy. I hastily responded, “I’m gettin’ that twenty miles per hour today. My legs are warmed up and I’ve been working for so long to not run that fast.” A fearless and expected smirk came across her face, like she had planned for me to run that anyway. Throughout the speed test, I heard a stern and optimistic voice behind me, “Open up, use what I taught you, drive drive drive!” These were also common phrases used by Cindy, but it was different this time. I knew I wasn’t getting off the treadmill until I ran twenty miles per hour, a speed she knew I was capable of running. Her tone of voice in those simple phrases held the most confidence and drive for accomplishment than I’ve ever heard