ING NYC Marathon, Part II:
Letting Go and Getting UpThe most difficult times for me after disappointing races is right after I cross the finish line. The disappointment really sets in strong at this point. The first person I saw at the finish was Meb. I gave him a hug and congratulated him on a great run. If there was one guy I was pulling for it was Meb. He had shown me what the heart of champion looks like through the hard times, now it was my turn to have that same heart in my disappointment.
The last couple days it has been difficult to not question my physical, mental, and spiritual preparation and race-day execution. I am my harshest critic, but there comes a point when I have to stop dissecting and let go. It has been tough to let go, but now that I have had a chance to reflect back on the race and learn from my mistakes it is time to move on and look toward the future.
For the first three days after the marathon I will do some light jogging to get the soreness and other “junk” out of my legs then I will take a two week break from running. When I was out jogging in Central Park the day after the marathon I already began to turn my attention towards the spring marathon. I will approach my spring marathon with a little different mentality and my coach and I will make a few tweaks in our training program. I learned a lot from this race, and they weren’t all negative. One of the positive things I took away is that I can rally even when I am not having my greatest day.
When I was a little kid watching the Olympics on TV I always wondered what it took to be an Olympian. Now that I am one I know that one of the biggest characteristics that it takes is resilience. It is not never failing that measures greatness it’s about how many times one can get knocked down and keep getting back up. One of my favorite verses in the Bible says, “Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.” I have fallen many, many times throughout my career and I haven’t always been able to pop back up right away but somehow, through the grace of God, I have found a way to get back up. That’s where I am now, stumbling back onto my feet.
As I write I am flying to Nashville, TN to go to the Nissan headquarters. I am excited about the opportunity to connect with the employees that have invested in the pursuit of a healthier, more active America. Then its off to a speaking engagement at a charity function before traveling back home for a day, picking up the dogs, and heading back out on the road for a couple more weeks of travel to various other functions. I am glad to have some things to keep me excited and moving forward. If I can encourage you with a good word it is this: get back up, even if you have been down for awhile, and keep going at it. I am sure you won’t regret that you did.
The last couple days it has been difficult to not question my physical, mental, and spiritual preparation and race-day execution. I am my harshest critic, but there comes a point when I have to stop dissecting and let go. It has been tough to let go, but now that I have had a chance to reflect back on the race and learn from my mistakes it is time to move on and look toward the future.
For the first three days after the marathon I will do some light jogging to get the soreness and other “junk” out of my legs then I will take a two week break from running. When I was out jogging in Central Park the day after the marathon I already began to turn my attention towards the spring marathon. I will approach my spring marathon with a little different mentality and my coach and I will make a few tweaks in our training program. I learned a lot from this race, and they weren’t all negative. One of the positive things I took away is that I can rally even when I am not having my greatest day.
When I was a little kid watching the Olympics on TV I always wondered what it took to be an Olympian. Now that I am one I know that one of the biggest characteristics that it takes is resilience. It is not never failing that measures greatness it’s about how many times one can get knocked down and keep getting back up. One of my favorite verses in the Bible says, “Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.” I have fallen many, many times throughout my career and I haven’t always been able to pop back up right away but somehow, through the grace of God, I have found a way to get back up. That’s where I am now, stumbling back onto my feet.
As I write I am flying to Nashville, TN to go to the Nissan headquarters. I am excited about the opportunity to connect with the employees that have invested in the pursuit of a healthier, more active America. Then its off to a speaking engagement at a charity function before traveling back home for a day, picking up the dogs, and heading back out on the road for a couple more weeks of travel to various other functions. I am glad to have some things to keep me excited and moving forward. If I can encourage you with a good word it is this: get back up, even if you have been down for awhile, and keep going at it. I am sure you won’t regret that you did.
ShareThis