I know we are all planning and plotting what events we will be doing in 2011. But as we do, I want to offer up a friendly reminder.
First of all, don’t forget that you are an extremely fortunate person to even be in the position of choosing what event you will pay good money to compete in. There are many people out there struggling over which necessity to buy or trying to figure out how to put food on the table. Signing up for a race is a true privilege.
There are also so many people who lack the health and well being to even be able to walk up a flight of stairs, let alone choose a triathlon. Count your blessings.
And the really sad part about life and the economy is that you may be an elite athlete today, but find yourself in one of the positions that I just mentioned tomorrow. Stay grounded and don’t lose your perspective.
So what can you do? You can race for reasons. You can choose events whose management recognizes the power of the multisport community and who use their events to help others. Or take it upon yourself and fundraise for the cause of your choice. If you open your eyes you would probably spot a dozen “reasons” the next time you go for a training run.
Don’t race selfishly. Don’t race for bragging rights, unless you want to brag about how many thousands of dollars you raised to help another individual or cause.
Make it count and make a difference.
4 Comments
Stephen,
Thanks for the reminders to be grateful for the many gifts that come with planning upcoming events for 2011.Racing for the benefit of helping others is one way to make a difference in the world and to give hope to many others. And sometimes – as you know – it is much more personal.
Currently I am taking care of my father who is battling pancreatic cancer. Outside of looking forward to a good meal, lately my Dad’s impetus for getting out of bed and fighting this disease is the hope that one day a week he will have enough strength to do the one thing he loves the most: swing his golf club.
Being a strong, aggressive athlete his whole life has made being weak with cancer and chemotherapy huge physical and mental adjustment for my father. Every day I watch him struggle to muster up the strength to walk, to get out of a chair, and on a very good, rare day engage his fighting spirit at the golf club.
Watching him fight, gives me ample reason to be deeply grateful for being able to train and race, and for taking the plunge by signing up for my first half marathon. My Dad is now promising to be alive and cheering for me at the finish line on January 30th.
Come race day, I will find myself in the very fortunate of position of writing the words, “Racing for my Daddy” on my arms. Sometimes the best reason to race is for the ones you love the most.
Thanks Stephen.
Stephen! Well said……truly we all have a lot to be thankful for and sometimes we need to extend that thankfulness to others. I think that it is a brilliant idea to focus endurance sports on a cause!!!!
Share your strength with others and Happy Holidays to all!!!
So true Steve, so true!
Great post would you mind if I share it (and a link back to you) on my multisport site “Victory Is Finishing”.
http://victoryisfinishing.blogspot.com/
Found your site thru Paul Goldstone and our work to fight MS.
Go Team in Training!
Happy Holidays to you and your family,
Brian
Hi Brian,
Thanks and yes, by all means feel free to share as you see fit.
Happy Holidays
Steve