Run Your Race...

Good morning and Happy Memorial Day to the Veterans and Troops out there.  I ran a nice 10 miler this morning around 6:20a.  Why so early on a Holiday?  Have to BEAT THE HEAT!  Today's post has been on my mind for a few runs now and today it all came together.  Here goes.

Run your race.  Simple sentence, yes.  Easy implementation, no.  What I mean by "run your race" is simply to live and evaluate your life based on the guidelines you set rather than the expectations of others.  Think about that for a second.  How many of you who read this blog allow what you think about your accomplishments to be defined by a boss, an industry, a profession, or by what your friends or family may accomplish?  I'm as guilty as the next person and I have sometimes compared my accomplishments in life to the accomplishments of others and allowed that to somehow change how I felt about my own accomplishments--sometimes in a bad way.  A very valuable lesson that running has taught me is that if I choose to run another person's race, then it's going to be one long struggle--and the longer the race the longer the struggle.  I firmly believe that we were all meant to run our race, but much like running in the woods sometimes choosing the right path to run down can be unclear.  It takes some careful thought and planning to make sure you head down the right road.  Once you are on the right road, then you have to make sure to allow yourself to navigate it by your own standards so long as those standards do no harm to others. 

Here are some of the standards I use to determine whether or not I am running a successful race:

Effort:  In running and in work it's my goal every single day to give my best effort.  It's pretty simple, but I expect my best effort every single day no matter what.  Sure...the wind may be blowing when I'm running or there might be some crazy stuff going on at work, but I can still give my best effort.  On any given day my best effort will get me different places, but giving it should always be a priority.

Honesty:  I don't play games and I put all my cards on the table.  With me, you know where I stand on something and I will never allow someone else to deliver a tough message.  It's so important to me that I am always transparent in what I do and how I act.  I know that if I am honest no matter what, then I'll be able to sleep well each night.  I once got caught up in the games of my profession and it was awful.  I'd rather be honest and a step behind than dishonest and two steps ahead.  In running, it's as simple as running the correct route in a race or reporting the correct miles you run during training.  Sure, you could lie about the number of miles you run, but when it's time to race then you'll reap what you sow.  At the end of the day, honesty always wins out.

Day Maker:  I'm blessed because every day at work I have the chance to make a person's day better.  I can either add value (Being a Plus One) or subtract value.  This concept not only applies to work, but all areas of my life.  Now...I'm not perfect (just ask Sarah) and I can be a grumpy guy, but more often than not I am a Day Maker instead of a Day Breaker.  At it's core, I ask myself each day whether or not I went the extra mile for the students and staff that I lead.  In running, I try to answer all of the questions that fellow runners have for me and I try to help as many people with their running as I can.  There's always a chance to surprise people with kindness and I try to do that. 

Be Uncommon:  I can think Coach Tony Dungy for this one.  Coach Dungy wrote a whole book about being uncommonly good at what you do.  That's a scary concept because it implies that you have control over what you achieve.  But...I LOVE this simple concept and try to be uncommon daily.  In work, that means I am trying to lead my team to be the best it can be and to be a model for others to achieve.  In running, that means setting goals like trying to run a 2:39 marathon, putting it in writing in a public forum, and then having the discipline to go out there and train to do it.  Many of us want to be unique or stand out in a positive way.  For me, striving to be uncommonly good at what I do is the way I try to achieve that.

At the end of the day I am a husband, father to Myles, a runner, a Res Lifer, and an Indiana University Basketball and Football fan.  All of those entities are on the path I run and I love "running that race" each day.  The real key in life is not to try and run another person's race or what society says your race should be.  Rather, it's important to run your race in the best way that you can. 

Have a great day.  Happy running to you...