Two things: 1)  This weekend is the 35th annual Lincoln Marathon.  2)  The term “swag” has been circulating among the kids I coach this spring. Swag is something cool, something that gives you confidence.  These two go together.

Half and Full Marathons can be really scary, whether you are veteran of the distance or a first-timer, it is a great unknown.  You put in the training, the early mornings, the sacrifices of eating and time and family and personal enjoyments and hope for the best on race day.  These are not short term sacrifices either.  For some it has been months, if not years, in the coming.  On Sunday morning, there will be a lot more nervous looks than confident ones. So here is my advice.

-Put that swag on in the morning.  Put your best/favorite/most flashy running outfit.  You look good, you run good.

-Put that swag in your head.  The sacrifices mentioned above?  Yeah, they put you in the right place to run well.

-Put that swag in your heart.  The body’s ability is far greater than you think it is.  If you truly want to do something, it will get done.  There will come a time Sunday where it will be really, really hard.

Remember that swag in your heart.