Putting In The Work

There is no recipe for achieving your goals. Every journey is unique to you and your circumstances. There isn’t a definitive timeline or measurement of what success looks like. Goal chasing is an entrepreneurial adventure where you are exiting the beaten path to accomplish what you’ve never done. It’s exciting yet frightening at times. There are moments of bliss as well as disappointment. Embracing the many facets of it and having the discipline to grow from your challenges is key.

When I first set the goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I was warned by others. I didn’t walk in naïve, but like all things, I walked in optimistic. Despite the fact that some of the potential issues I aimed to avoid, found me, I’m thankful, in some ways, that they did. They humbled me. They increased my level of appreciation that I have for the achievement of qualifying for the Boston Marathon as well as for the people who’ve achieved it.

Along this road, there have been several changes in my life. The most recent has been entering into a new job industry. For the past ten months I’ve been coordinating warehouse operations. I’m thankful to share that I recently received a promotion at a different facility. While it was hard to say goodbye to the excellent people I worked with, this opportunity aligned with my life & family. I’m equally excited to share that this adjustment will grant me more of an opportunity to run!

In this blog I’ll share my plan to attack my Boston Qualifying goal this year. I ’ll break down how that looks in reality and ways I find appreciation in the process, especially in the challenges.

The mountains we’re climbing right now aren’t our first obstacles in life. The fact that you are reading this right now proves that the last obstacle didn’t take you out and the ones we’re facing now are just future memories; they are the beginning of our stories of triumph. The challenges are what make us stronger, tougher and wiser. Thank you for continuing to pursue your goals.

Chasing this unicorn has been a marathon of a journey. It’s farther, harder, and tougher than any outside spectator could imagine. To do so under the BQ standards has been a goal of mine for about eight years. My first marathon attempt was in 2017 at the California International Marathon in Sacramento, CA where I completed the race in 3:28. I returned in 2021 to run a 3:24. A few months later in the early part of 2022 I PR’d big with a 3:15 at the Oakland Running Festival. Later that year I completed the Santa Rosa marathon in 3:16 and I’m excited to rev up for my next race!

Days after the Santa Rosa Marathon I started a new job in an entirely new industry than I’d ever worked before. On an average day I worked about twelve hours and walked over ten miles/day. It was a lot more labor intensive than anywhere I had worked before. I found myself so fatigued after work that I would sleep until it was time for my next shift leaving no time or energy for running.

As I mentioned above, last week I was promoted to a position at a different facility within the same company. This change was part of my initial plan. The new facility is closer to my home. The hours are significantly less than what I was working and the work is a lot less labor intensive allowing me more time and energy for other ventures including Boston Qualifying training!

I share these details because it’s important for us all to realize that the paths towards our goals can have twists, turns and delays. The focus doesn’t change. The determination can not dim. The hunger to taste victory only grows.

I’m excited to share that for my next BQ attempt I’ll be returning to the 2023 California International Marathon (CIM) as they celebrate their 40th Anniversary!

The last time I laced up for a run was in December last year. This will be a couch to marathon training plan and I’m looking forward to every step of it and I’m already visualizing myself ringing the bell in downtown Sacramento.

I have three pairs of Adizeros with zero miles on them waiting to be laced up and worn in. I went ahead and registered for the race since it almost always sells out and with this being their Anniversary race, I’d predict that it will sell out early. The other reason I went ahead and signed up was to force myself to be fully committed to the training cycle that is scheduled to begin tomorrow.

The Pastor of a church I visited recently with my family said that “while I’m patiently waiting, I’m working.” This resonated with me and my current journey. I’m patient because I’m appreciative of the steps along the way, even what seems to be the deviations, because I don’t believe in coincidences. Even the parts of the process that I don’t understand in this moment are placed there for a purpose and when I cross the finish line and reach for that BQ bell, I’ll be completing an eight year journey towards a goal. The completion of this landmark will be the beginning of a new chapter with new aspirations. The journey never ends, it just turns to the next page and we keep writing, running and living.

Thank you all for reading. Please be sure to follow us on Social Media for updates, resources and encouragement. Keep enjoying the journey.