Disney Employee Engagement Speaker
Five daily blogs about life's 5 big choices on five different sites.
“You can observe a lot by watching.” – Yogi Berra
What did you learn from watching Germany’s Guido Mueller, age 70, break that world record?
I learned age is a state of mind. And the longer you wait to believe this, the harder it must be to do something about it.
I also learned it’s better late than never – otherwise, my wife and I wouldn’t be parents.
What are you waiting for? For the people around you, will you be an example, or a warning? Carpe diem.
What is Lane 8?
Lane 8 is the worst lane in Track & Field. Fast runners are put in the middle lanes and slower runners are assigned the outer lanes. The slowest competitor is always assigned Lane 8.
And in the 400 meters, which I compete in, you stay in your lane the entire race. The way the starting lines are staggered, makes it look like Lane 8 is way out in front, when in fact, it’s the exact same distance as the others.
So many consider lane 8 the worst lane because you cannot see any of the other competitors, until they pass you.
My goal is to be in Lane 8, the worst lane. And I also don’t care if I come in last. Seriously.
Our son (9) says, “Dad, you want the worst lane and you don’t care if you come in last?”
(Pause for effect, and read each of the next three sentences with decent pauses in between)
“That’s right, son, Lane 8. In the finals. At the World Championships.”
I continued the answer for our son, “You can come in last and still be the eighth best in the entire world.”
I then shared the moral of the story with our son:
“You can go through life and set the bar low, reach it, but then live with the regret of wondering what you could have done if you tried harder. Or, you can set the bar ridiculously high, fail, and yet live with peace because you know in your heart you did your very best.”
Ya with me?
Three more questions:
If this is you, then you have sisu (pronounced “C-sue”). It’s Suomi (Finnish) for guts, determination and not quitting.
While in Lahti, Finland, representing the United States at this year’s WMA Masters Track and Field World Championships, I met a Finnish couple and overheard them say, “She’s got sisu (C-sue)!”
They were talking about one of the women who was competing in the W80-84 1,500 meters. Can you comprehend that? Early 80’s, running in the Masters World Championships?
I agree, she had sisu.
Makes me wonder what I’ll have when I get older.
Friday we went to Twistee Treat, like we always do, and our order came out the drive thru window, like it always does (without ordering).
The friendly Twistee Treat employee, Lori (may or may not be her real name), asked, “How’d it go?”
We’ve been going to Twistee Treat for four years and Lori was always there on Mondays and Fridays. For the past year or so though, Lori has a different schedule, we rarely see her.
Quickly, my brain started working overtime to remember what Lori was referring to. Nothing.
So I sort of embarrassingly asked Lori, “How’d what go?”
“The track meet.”
Then it hit me. I gave Lori a Lane 8 business card at some point and must have described the Lane 8 vision. You know, “If your goal isn’t impossible….I don’t care if I get the worst lane and come in last.”
Because I’ve had time to process, and have overcome the reluctance to just spit it out, I was able to come right out with it, “Forty-third. In the world.”
“There were 5,300 athletes from 80 different countries. In my event (400m) alone, there were 63 athletes aged 50-54. Eight of them were Americans. Seven made it to the semi-finals. I was the one that didn’t.”
43rd. In the whole world. Ya with me?
Yesterday’s Lane 8 blog post ended with me promising to share today the level of fitness that was unknowingly gained on the journey to become a world class Master’s athlete.
And by the way, the goal was never to become a world class Master’s athlete. The goal was, and always will be, about getting and staying healthy to contend with the hereditary predisposition to both physical and mental illnesses. I am, after all, 50 years old. 🙂
Here’s a jeff noel midlife You Tube video which highlights the strength of the body’s core. And just before heading to Lahti, Finland for the 2009 WMA Master’s Track & Field World Championships, I increased the time from “20-count” (in this clip) to 30-count:
Guarantee you, if you try to put both feet up at a 90-degree angle, you won’t be able to hold it for more than a “2-count”. Don’t believe me? Try it. Carpe diem!