“Go the Distance” is originally a Disney song from the 1997 film Hercules, and although I liked the Michael Bolton version, I didn’t think much of it then. However, the song took on a whole new meaning when I began training for my first marathon. I knew I was the underdog. Was never athletic growing up and by early 2011, I’d run one half-marathon against the odds. Running twice that distance seemed like a task that was insurmountable. Somehow I stumbled upon the song again and it was like it was written just for me. The chorus declares, “I'll be there someday, I can go the distance / I'll be there someday if I can be strong / I know every mile will be worth my while”. When he sings, “It’s an uphill slope, but I won’t lose hope”, it just gave me the push to dig deep and keep going even when things get tough. I’m training for my second marathon now, and “Go the Distance” is on my running playlist. My heart still soars when I remember this lyric: “A hero’s strength is measured by his heart.”

-J. Jones