Success means a lot of different things to different people. What does it mean for you? Did you accomplish a goal you set out to do? Did you lose weight? Did your cholesterol improve? Did you help someone else achieve a goal they were striving for? It may all mean something different to people, but it still means something was achieved. What makes it even more special is when it truly means something to you. That was this weekend for the Watertown Area Run Club. Many of us went down to do the Sioux Falls Half Marathon this morning, but one of us in this group was running their first marathon…26.2 miles. That person was Patricia Roth. She has been working incredibly hard this entire Summer to achieve her goal. We all saw it. We all wanted her to get it. Today, we all helped her get across the finish line! Her emotions afterwards holding up her medal, and knowing that she had just achieved something she did not think was possible for her. Our goals and our achievements are limited more by what is between our ears, than our physical abilities. She proved that over and over, and it was something special for the rest of us as well to see her achieve this goal.
Many of us started out Saturday night by going out to eat, and loading up on carbs. Spaghetti and pasta was the main course choices before hand. We were all getting ready for the next morning.
Patricia had to start first. The marathoners started 30 minutes before the half marathoners. We were there to get her fired up and to show our support. “This is it Patricia! This is what you have been working for. Go for it!”.
We got done with our race, showered, and headed out on the course to cheer Patricia on. We found her coming to mile 24.
A few of us started running with her to keep her going. Then, Owen and Amanda, after running their Half Marathon earlier, ran with her the entire last 2 miles of the marathon to keep her going. She did not stop! Smiling, and going strong. This is what she was working for! She wanted this!
The rest of us headed back to the finish line to cheer her for the last 100 meters coming in. Coming in strong, smiling, waving…grinning ear to ear!
This is Patricia coming into the final 100 meters, with Amanda and Owen on each side of her. She was giving us the “thumbs up”!
We were cheering so loud, yelling, screaming. Look at the smile on her face. She was about to accomplish her goal! She did it! She is now a marathoner!
Success again means different things to different people. Many of us had a good race today. We feel good about what we individually accomplished. But believe me, nothing felt better than how we all were cheering her on, helping her these last months achieve her goal! Seeing the look on her face, the tears flowing with joy afterwards. This is what running does for you. More importantly, this is what running friends do for you! We are a close knit group. We are there for each other. Now I call that a successful weekend. A success not only by the runners, but the spouses who help make it possible for all of us to run. They show support, they are out there cheering, taking pictures, driving back and forth. A special thank you to all of them as well. What does success mean to you? Keep moving everybody…you too will be successful!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3987
