What does your leg mean to you?

I just finished watching Dateline tonight and Tom White (below the knee amputee) was featured. In his school days he was pretty good runner, but then a drunk driver caused a motorcycle accident and took away a majority of the functionality in his left leg after it was reattached. Even after this he fought his way back and began running again completing 26 marathons and ultra-marathons. After all this his left leg began to give out on him and he decides to take drastic measures. I sympathize and understand why he did what he did next. He decided to take things to the next level and regain running by having a voluntary amputation 25 years after the accident. Then, the in the same year he completed the New York City Marathon .

After everything he has been through, he exudes what most every runner feels with his actions. Some times we all have that second thought before dragging ourselves out the door to run because we have "excuses." Tom really puts things into perspective. When you really want something some times you have to sacrifice to keep it. I have begun to realize this in a much more minor way because of my wife, G, being pregnant. I have started running the morning to have more time to spend with her and the impending baby, but to love running so much that a person would cut part of their leg off to be able to continue sends a powerful message and puts things into perspective. I hope when the day comes that I am tested that I have just as much courage as Tom and can overcome whatever it is that is my "degenerative leg." No excuses.