A few weeks back, I blogged about my upcoming half marathon and how it forced me to train through the winter. Well, the race is over. But guess what? It’s really not. I’ll give some highlights before I explain.
Phoenix proved to be a hot and not-so-hot spot for a January race. Sure, a record 37,000 people raced in the half or full marathons. But it was bleeping cold…for Phoenix. Starting temps are usually in the 40s and into the 60s by the time you cross the finish line. Well, at the finish it was barely in the 40s. I know I come from the cold climes of Minneapolis, but I chose this race for a warm break!
Unpleasant temps aside, it was a beautiful day and a great race. Doug and Sophia were my race mates through mile 10. The first big race for both of them made them joys as partners. I had us all pasta load for two nights prior to race morning and tried to start us out slowly. They both finished a few minutes ahead of me, and I was proud of them for their enthusiasm and strength. I hit the time range I wanted…despite inadequate training. The things you start to dream about when you’re running for miles wishing nothing was starting to ache: ‘I should have trained longer than seven weeks and run more than once or twice a week.’
The big takeaway for me went beyond my running shoes. I want to do another half marathon soon. I want to prove to myself I can run faster. Thus the similarities with other areas of life. When you do something you love, you just want to keep getting better at it. I hear golfers say this all the time. In my TV news days, I could relate to the golfer’s goal: recreate the best shot you just had and don’t repeat the weak ones.
It took a marathon, a 10-mile race, a 10K, a 5K, and this half marathon within 17 months for me to feel comfortable with the “runner” label. So now, I really want to operate at my peak. I tell my journalism students at the University of Minnesota every script is an opportunity to get better. Once you think you know it all, you’re really no good to your viewers or your subjects. When I was a TV news reporter, I knew I had the opportunity to get better every day. Now, every keynote I give is another opportunity to challenge myself to inspire my audience. Every commercial shoot I have is an opportunity to perform better. Every media training I give is an opportunity to spread understanding. Repetition begets experience begets great performance.
The race isn’t over for me. On the roads, with my clients, and with my students, I hope to hit the best times possible.
