Since January of this year (2010), I’ve been participating in the Team in Training program offered by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  As a result of their program, I’ve had a chance to raise awareness about blood cancers, generate some additional funds for medical research and complete a few memorable athletic milestones.

Participating in and completing the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon, Denver Rock and Roll Half Marathon and Day of the Tread Half Marathon, I’ve learned many things.  But none more important than “run your own race.”

I’ve had the opportunity to train with a lot of quality people.  Everyone is pacing around the asphalt jungle for their own reasons.

Watching, and running alongside the people I consider to be elite runners is really quite an experience.  By running vicariously through Jaynee, Chris and Javier I’ve run sub-4 hour marathons! 

The coaches are some of the best; Jeff, Michelle and Bryan.  They provide motivation, insight and encouragement.  There are a number of coaches whom I’ve only met on the race course, they provided a calming guidance that helped me to run my own race.

Even before this year’s training, the quote “Run in such a way that you may win,” connected with me.

Most of the people I train with finish their respective races. 

Surprisingly, despite the training, some runners do not cross the finish line.

Whether they finished or not, everyone “ran their own race.”

These are some of the great things about our team.  They set their own goals, their own pace.  They weren’t swayed by the elite runners or slowed by those of us on the scenic route.  They are comfortable in their own skin, know their abilities and limits (most of the time).  They feel compassion as they see runners bonk and are reminded that it could be them.  They push to do better next time.  While they are encouraged by the crowd, they aren’t guided by the drama of it all. 

They run for their own reasons, their own plan, their own goals.

They run their own race.