One Hundred Miles of Opportunity

Last weekend, I remembered again why I am such a proud mom. For the second year in a row, my son Jonathan entered a hundred-mile endurance run. For the second year in a row, according to official results, he “did not finish.” As he described it the first time, “I want to run an ultra, and this one fits my schedule. Maybe 100 miles is longer than I can run now, but I can run as much of it as I want.”

Why am I so proud? I am proud that Jonathan is mature enough at 25 years of age to envision an ambitious goal, to train for that goal, and to test himself in a very public setting. He let us all, family and friends, know about his venture. He shared the outcome with us all, happily and without apology after choosing when to end the quest. Last year he finished 45 miles; this year he finished 62 miles (100 kilometers­­). This year, he was also awarded an impressive silver belt buckle. Even race organizers acknowledge that “Plan B” is far better than no plan at all.

Jonathan likes to stretch himself and to aim beyond assured success. He likes to run for hours, and enjoys participating in group events. He wants to succeed. He would like to win. He is also mature enough to know and to accept when his body and spirit are expended. He is willing to stop at that point, adjust his definition of success, and celebrate the results--whatever they are. He enjoys the support of family, friends, and a new fiancée. We celebrate with him, recognizing the achievement of traversing 62 miles of desert, on foot, in 17 hours.

The goals we set for ourselves take many forms: they range from seemingly impossible dreams to small daily and weekly steps, around which we are more confident of success. The dream or vision sets the course; the smaller steps take us there. I like to think of the larger vision as the opportunity. Our training and effort determine how much of that opportunity we achieve in a given month, year, or decade of our lives. I offer the opportunity to learn, with my son, that achievements heading in the direction of our dreams are the stuff of success and celebration.

What is your most ambitious goal? What did you do in the past month to take you there, and how are you celebrating your progress? What will you do next week to take you further? Share your past success and future intent with others: strengthen your commitment by making it public.

Resist the temptation to think in terms of failure. Embrace the vision of testing, adjusting, and continuing from year to year. Life is indeed a marathon (or an ultra) not a sprint.

Until the next time, go well.

Pam