Age group first in a small triathlon
1. Actually be the one that crosses the finish line first overall or in your age group or category. Placing in the race, your group or category counts too. We all understand this one...it is most often what we mean win we talk about winning.
My 5k PR was run as an "interloping American tourist " in Victoria Park, London, UK 2013
2. Have a PR (personal record) or PB (Personal Best) regardless of how you placed. This one is pretty easy to understand too. I once PR'd a race..and came in last! It's all about who shows up. But a PR or PB is a win, no matter how many people were faster or slower.
My goal for this race was to run/walk a new more aggressive ratio for the whole race. Nailed it!
3. Meet your goal for the event. Honestly, it doesn't matter what your goal is...could be trying something new, running negative splits or even slowing down because you are running this as a training run. Whatever it is, when you nail it....that's a win!
I have a number of finish pictures with this same expression, upright and with a small. Every one is a win.
4. Finish upright and with a smile wanting to do it again. This may sound simplistic..but honestly it's huge. I usually set 3 goals for every race, and this is always one of them. In my mind, anything that will encourage me to remain active is a win.
This is my wife Glenda and my granddaughter Maeve running a Girls on the Run 5k...and if you look along the fence, there I am cheering them on (I raced too, but finished early as Glenda ran with Maeve)
5. Encourage other people. There is something very special about cheering other people meeting their goals and making their dreams real. And it doesn't really matter if it's cheering your family or a friend, or high fiving a total stranger...it's all good! In empowering others you can empower yourself...and, friends, THAT is a win!
This race was at altitude and I struggled...but that is why I used it for this saying, because that is what I did. That and let the mountains pull me along
6. Celebrate every small victory. Even in a bad race, there is often a victory or more than one. Often they are tiny, "kept going when I wanted to sit down and cry," "learned an important lesson," or "was really able to appreciate that popsicle at the finish." These victories may be infinitesimal and you may have to look very hard, but they are there and it is important to celebrate even these wins.
One of my favorite ways of keeping it fun is running in costume. I always try to make the costumes very run-friendly
7. Have fun! Make yourself and others happy. I run in costume sometimes, I choose small out of the way and unique races sometimes, I do all kinds of things to keep it fun. That doesn't mean I don't work hard or try hard, it just means that I prefer to treat my races as playgrounds (and if you don't think that is serious...really watch kids some time) not proving grounds. Bonus...having fun can be infectious and when your fun makes someone else smile or laugh out loud...that's rocket fuel to keep you going...and that is a win!
This is my crew at Disney last February. Me, Glenda, Maeve and Maeve's mama Aurora hiding behind us
The Flying Monkey Brigade conquers one of the several tri relays I did with various friends last summer
8. Share the experience with friends and loved ones. Time spent together is always a win. Building each other up, sharing the joy (and the occasional pain) is a win too. And sometimes you are introducing someone to the sport...that's an extra special kind of win.
Working hard and loving it!
9. Enjoy what your body can do. I have a shirt that says "Someday I will no longer be able to do this. Today is not that day." And at 62, for me, any race day that is NOT "that" day is a win. Sometimes it just amazes me that this creaky old diabetic body with the cranky back and the sore hips can do this at all...and even more amazing is how strong it sometimes feels. WIN!
Just one example of meeting up with others at distant races, this one in Lexington, KY
10. Be embraced by a community of runner and triathletes, fast and slow, all over the world. Finding one's "tribe" is a win. Just sayin'
