By D.S. Moss

What follows is an example of the power of a good Gut Check.
Now, to begin, I am neither one for crowds or group call and response,

MC “Who’s the fastest city in the world”
CROWD “ATX”
MC “I can’t hear you…”
CROWD (with no more enthusiasm) “ATX”

This is not to say I don’t believe in or haven’t felt solidarity within a group, in fact, I have ample experience in the all for one cause- The USMC.  And, it was in the green machine that I last had a gut check–the physical pain vs mental control battle that is about as primal, pure, and simple as it gets.  What I speak of is visual starting and ending point that is measured purely by physical pain and your brain’s ability to take control of whatever may be causing that pain in order to see it through. What I speak of calls on the involuntary silent mantras: “Pain is just weakness leaving the body,” “Mind over matter, if I don’t mind it don’t matter.” Read the rest of this entry »