What would you do with an extra day?

Imagine you're on your death bed. It can be any time of your life, you could be really old and healthy or young and doing coke in a fast car if that's your thing. But a genie in a bottle or some other divine being, offers you one more day before you die! What would you do? You'd take it probably, even if it was to extend the very thing you were doing when death and the genie descended. But most probably you'd take it and do something amazing, emotional and special.

Today, you had one more day. Yep it's just a leap year and we get one of those every four years. But doesn't that make you think a little? What did you do today that was so special? Or as in the word's of one of my favourite and life changing adverts says, will you remember today forever?

As someone who got into running as a way of enduring the death of friends, I am inspired by those who tackle sporting events as a way of facing death. From Jane Tomlinson to Jon Blais we are reminded of people who tackle marathons, ironman and other challenges to raise awareness of issues but also to go down fighting. Yes it is cruel that people like them are taken from life early, leaving behind devastated loved ones. But look at what they did with their death sentence, they turned it into a life sentence.

This morning, as I tweeted my messages for people to "be all they can be", and "make today count" (popular hashtags, not just my corny lines) I noticed someone (joking?) that today was an extra day of the year, and therefore not one they were paid for. But I was pleased to see so many more people doing something amazing with their day, from the RunDemCrew youngers bouncing through the streets, to the chap taking the day off work for Jogle training, another volunteering in a service for homeless people.

The clock is ticking on February 29th as I write this, but I won't let the clock tick down as me. And I hope, that if you're reading this, you might remember this day forever and live all your future days as "the extra one."