Persist With Enthusiasm

So, one of Winston Churchill’s most famous quotes ends in, “Never, never, never, Never Give Up!”

I totally resonate with that quote, more often than I care to share, but one of the Prime Minister’s less famous quotes may just be one I favor even more:

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of ENTHUSIASM.”

Now THAT is a quote for the ages!

The All-Powerful Path of Persistence is a harsh taskmaster, and one which we seldom teach our children, but this past weekend while I participated in my third attempt to conquer the 100 Kilometer distance (yes, that is 62.5 miles…and yes, I know, a little bit psycho for someone of my very average athletic abilities), I saw something in the eyes of my daughters that made me more determined to accomplish my goal than any other incentive I had in front of me.

The past decade has taught me much about PERSISTENCE in every form; business failures, multiple family deaths, and so much more. My daughters have been troopers through it all, and I do realize they have absorbed much along the way about enduring transitions and difficulties with a minimum of drama. For several years though, I have needed to experience a breakthrough victory in front of them and with them so that they would know that life is not always about struggles that end poorly.

Four years ago I was totally ready to take on the 100K. Best condition of my life for many years, and my Dad’s health seriously and rapidly deteriorated the very weekend of my favorite local ultra trail races, the Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs. I had been determined that I would accomplish the 100k that year, but my Dad’s death was imminent that weekend so I didn’t run the race at all.

The next few years were crazy busy with opening a local café and trying to maintain training at a level sufficient to accomplish my goal. Each successive attempt met with failure over the last two years with distances of only 31 miles and 40 miles. Totally bummed after last year, but knowing that I had solved a few more distance issues (I also decided to nose-dive off a steep bank…my ego was bruised for a number of reasons along with my knee…were the two main reasons I didn’t get any further last year).

This past year was another re-direction in my on-going entrepreneurial saga that definitely impeded getting in the mileage I would have desired, but it was enough! I continued to change up my nutritional aspects and made some other changes. But, honestly, the ONE THING more than any other thing that made me persist to finish the full distance this year was the look of sheer happiness of achievement I saw in the eyes of both of my daughters as I RAN into the Aid Station where they work during the race.

Each year, both of my girls happily give up nearly 24-straight hours of their weekend to be a part of the trail races. They become so inspired by the runners with their determination and dedication. They see the runners who achieve their goals, and they see the faces of broken-down defeat in the deep dark shadows of the wee hours of the night. Oh, I wish more young people could experience this event at that level.

So, back to what I saw in their eyes as I ran between the twinkling lights into the Aid Station after dark… Their eyes glowed with joy and excitement as they both realized that their mother was NOT injured, NOT defeated, and that I was going forward to go for the finish. I still had ¾ of the way to finish the second loop (20ish miles…I don’t keep track! Ha Ha!), but they knew …they knew I was going to do it this time.

Well, it took me 26 (COLD) hours with a die-hard pacer! But, I finished! Nine mega-blisters and all…and I felt wonderful! I sent them a text message just before I crossed the finish line, and while they didn’t quite make it there on time, their faces said it all! Sweet Victory!

And an even sweeter message of Persisting after our dreams with ENTHUSIASM, despite the pain and the hardships, never, never, never give up…there CAN be Victory!

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