"So put me on a highway racecourse
And show me a sign
And take it to the limit one more time"
Believe it or not, I once raced with that that little ballad by The Eagles in my head almost the whole time. True story-and let's just say it was fittingly so. To me the song represents those times you wind up in situations you have never dealt with and therefore had no frame of reference. As what happened that day in the Fall of 2011 so has been the past weekend and months leading up.
Truth be told I was having trouble coming up with a post title today to package these observations and reflections; and ironically enough- the aforementioned classic rock song popped up on my iTunes. BOOM- issue solved (apparently I've got eclectic taste in music).
The Woodlands Marathon has come and gone with an amazing field, amazing results and great bonding experiences. Through helping on a longer-term basis with this awesome event, I learned a lot about myself.
But anyhow, I digress...this past weekend was the grand finale of an experience that has pushed me beyond my comfort zone and back again from start to finish; demanding I dig deep into skill sets that are not well developed and make the best of it. I was called to feel like a flopping fish out of water at times and work to solve new problems. One important thing I learned early on is to reach out to others and work together. Teamwork is awesome. Also, I learned to be a little tougher and how to really get things done. I learned that I have certain strengths and certain weaknesses and how I should work to apply them in future situations. The notion of friendships was also reinforced-over and over again.
To save space and reader patience, I will refrain from going into detail about the event and happenings but will reflect upon some bigger picture observations from the past 72 hours.
I am a good leader, I am good with the public, but I am not necessarily the best large-scale administrator. Can't win 'em all, folks!
I am still working on being able to become "comfortably uncomfortable".
My comfort with public speaking hit a new high, as I was provided the opportunity to talk shop for an hour presenting my expo talk "Race Day Confidential: Unlocking the Secrets to Your Best Performance" on Friday. I was also fortunate to get some press for it in the Houston Chronicle as well.
I love my chosen field in sports.
I love running and other runners.
I am the type that needs sleep to be able to focus. Seriously.
In the seemingly most difficult hours, friendship has a strange yet magical way of getting you through. I will not go into detail, but best friend Rebecca and I both encountered challenge or two over the weekend; all I can say is what a blessing it is to have someone there for you when it counts.
Speaking of support, volunteers and other accomplished community members stepped in and helped me as we shuttled and guided elite athletes to their proper spots on race morning. I learned a lot from a couple accomplished colleagues who graciously donated their time helping make for a smooth event.
Regardless of how you feel during the process or even the outcome-it never hurts to put yourself out there from time to time. I talked at length Friday about learning experiences even if you faced difficulty in a race or other situation. Being taken to the limit can show us so much about ourselves.
We ALL have limits. I have them. Several, actually in multiple areas. Sorry, but it's a fact. Accept them, embrace them. Do the best you can with them. They aren't necessarily bad and we can do a lot within them.
We ALL have limits. I have them. Several, actually in multiple areas. Sorry, but it's a fact. Accept them, embrace them. Do the best you can with them. They aren't necessarily bad and we can do a lot within them.
Another thing brought up in the Expo lecture was the importance of self-talk. When you can't necessarily be positive, be neutral. Seriously-it works.
It was refreshingly reinforced that I am not perfect and embracing my own unique strengths and abilities will make me feel successful. This goes for anybody else reading this too.
And how can I forget...my athletes I coach are studs!! More than one PR fell over the weekend in the half marathon and another completed their first marathon. WTG All!
Whether it is taking on a new project that you know will be a stretch for you, running a new distance, or just facing discomfort-either physical, mental, or emotional-we are all stronger than we think we are. Also, after doing work on the other side of the coin for a while-I am getting hungry and ready to race again!
So take it to the limit, take it to the limit, take it to the limit....one more time.
And stay the course.
*Special thanks goes out to my team, committee members, athletes I spent time with, my Volte Endurance family and of course, Rebecca M.
5 comments:
From my own race mgmt experience many years ago, I experienced some of those same good feelings about friends being there for you. You do the best you can and pray. Humbling experience? Yes, it was.
Congrats on a great weekend! In a huge event like that I am sure there are always going to be challenges but it sounds like you handled it all very well and did an amazing job (and had a lot of fun). And yes indeed - life is so much better with a BFF to support you and lift you up when needed. :)
Congratulations on being a key part of a great ouevent! Just don't knock your administrative skills too much, most of what I've learned in that area came after a lot of hands-on experiences. I enjoyed being a volunteer part of this event this time around. I found it both fun and challenging to be a volunteer and enjoyed seeing the race from a different perspective than ever before, though I really hope to be running it in some capacity next year.
I know I can always come over to your blog to get a big pick-me-up. Always inspirational and makes me want to run even stronger - seriously. I know I've been blog MIA (Lots of personal struggles ..) but I read and I smile and I try that much harder. One day I hope I'm one of those people you're supporting out there along the way, like your friend - I know it would boost my spirits. She is truly blessed.
Very happy for you and your athletes :).
I just wish you could see yourself through others' eyes. You are beyond awesome- a true leader. You had a HUGE job; so of course everything wouldn't go smoothly. You did it WELL, and people see that. Those blunders and "screw ups" as you call them- they are nothing.
This weekend obviously didn't turn out like I wanted, but I am so glad I was with you. The support, love, and kindness you've shown me are truly one of a kind. LOVE YOU!!!!
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