Life's lessons through running

           We have all heard that life is a rat race. Well, I find it more like running a tough race like the old Ogden 20k Classic course. In my years of coaching I have always thought of myself as a teacher and friend and not just a coach. I have always stressed the importance self discipline and work ethic and I have told many an athlete that I don’t care if you ever run a step after high school just don’t ever forget the hard work and perseverance that you obtained through running.

           My wife can tell you that I can compare pretty much anything to running a race and I would like to share some of them with you. First. I remember a race on the 4^th of July one year in which I had moved up from 12^th place to about 3^rd and I was feeling great. All of a sudden it felt as if someone stuck I knife in my side. Needless to say I dropped back and finished poorly. So how many times has that happened to us in life? We think we are sailing along smoothly and then WHAM! Something sets us back.  In the old days before every Big Boy Classic I would go over the course in my head and think about the obstacles ahead of me. Twenty-ninth St hill, Wheeling Park, Chicken neck, and finally Fulton Hill. However, I couldn’t worry about Fulton Hill until I’ve tackled the other three obstacles first. Again, how many times in life do we worry about something down the road when we haven’t gotten over those hurdles just in front of us?

           I’ve been running and racing for 35 years. Does that make me an expert? No Way! I may have experience but that does not mean I won’t make a mistake somewhere during a race. Maybe I made a move too soon or maybe too late. No one is perfect and we are all human. We make mistakes. Its how we handle them and learn from them that counts.

           I always tell athletes to give their all and let the chips fall where they may. No one goes into a race planning to fail however many fail to plan. In life we know how we would like for things to develop but you know what they say about best laid plans. Many things happen during a race that you may need to adjust your thinking or alter your plan. So true in life.

           I never worry about those individuals that I’ve coached and who have survived. I know they are taking with them something much more important than just running. They learn more about themselves and what they can accomplish in life through running. If I have made a difference in just one person’s life than I feel I have succeeded as a coach and a friend. Perseverance, self-discipline, and hard work pay off in running and also in life. We make mistakes along the way in both and have many moments of laughter and tears. But keep plugging away. I have never had to drop out of a race and at times I’m sure I should have. But dropping out to me was quitting and that’s just not in my vocabulary. I will never fault a runner for trying. And  let's face it, some days we just don’t have it, but there is always tomorrow.