What’s Your Superman Moment?

Henry was screwed.  Henry Cavill that is – the latest actor to play Superman.  At 6’1″ and 170 lbs, he had to put on 20 lbs of muscle mass before he could start filming.  (Further evidence that superheroes are really just bodybuilders in tights.)

Anyway, according to the article in Muscle & Fitness, he was doing his squats with a 305 lb barbell when his legs collapsed beneath him and he was down on the ground.  His trainer expected him to drop the barbell.  But here’s when Henry had his Superman moment:  He didn’t drop the bar; instead he dug in and pushed with all his might until he rose from the ground and finished his set.  From that day on things changed.  He walked taller.  He felt like he earned the role.

I loved reading that story, not so much because he was physically strong, but because he was mentally strong.  His body gave up, but his mind overrode the message of pain, and commanded his body, “You will obey my will.”

People are so much stronger than they think they are.  When you get out of your own way, your body will accomplish more than you ever thought possible.

Henri was screwed.  My husband, Henri, that is.  Born with severe asthma, he spent much of his childhood gasping for breath in and out of hospitals.  He was not allowed to run.  He was not allowed to play sports, or laugh too hard.  The medicine stunted his growth.  Although he eventually outgrew it, asthma left its mark on him.

Then his pesky little wife (that would be me) started running marathons.  He didn’t want his wife making him look bad, so at 42 he signed up for his first marathon with Team in Training.

Mile 1 was a breeze.  Mile 14 got harder.  By mile 20 things were not so good.  His pace had slowed to a walk and his chest was constricted.  It was hard to breath.  It was hard to think.  It was time to stop.

“Henri,” she said, lacing her fingers between his, “I want you to picture that little boy, the four-year-old with asthma, gasping for breath.  Do you see him?”

Yes, he nodded.

“Now I want you to tell that boy that he grows up to be a marathon runner.”

A smile crossed his face, breath filled his lungs, and he broke through more than just a finish line that day.

How about you?  What’s your Superman moment?

Lisa

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