Ultra Lesson #4 . . . Finish Up

by | Oct 14, 2011 | Discipline, Fitness, Focus | 14 comments

A few weeks ago, while training for my first Ultra Marathon, I met a guy who looked to be training for something himself.  Turns out he was preparing for a triathlon.

While standing at a water stop we discussed several area races.  I asked him if he had ever participated in the North Face Endurance Challenge.  He said he had not and asked me why.

I told him I was preparing for the race and was wondering how hard the course would be.

I will never forget his response.  He looked at me and said, “You want it to be hard, don’t you?”

With that, he turned and ran away.

His statement did something inside of me.  It caused me to think about the concept of “hard.”

When I go after my goal tomorrow, Ultra Lesson #4 will be the hardest of them all . . .

Finish Up

For some reason I had in my mind he might tell me this thing was going to be easy.  Call it the coward in me.

Truth is, anything I have ever accomplished worth remembering has been hard.

The same is true for you.

But hard is what brings down the number of Ultra Marathon finishers.  Hard keeps the ratio of pre med students who graduate to a minimum.  Hard makes business startups go under.  Hard causes relationships to end and families to die.

Signing up, showing up, and even holding up are doable for most.  But where are the masses when it comes to finishing up and finishing well?

If you intend to leave a legacy as a leader, you are going to need to do more than conquer the first three “ups” we have looked at this week.  You will also be required to “finish up.”

It breaks my heart to see so many leaders strive to get to a place where they can coast and take it easy near the end of their “race.”

If you are approaching the end of your “Ultra,” I say put the pedal to the metal and finish up.  It is what I will try to do tomorrow.

Say a prayer for me as I do for all of you.

 

i2i,

Randy

 

Comments?

14 Comments

  1. John Orr
    John Orr on October 14, 2011 at 9:03 am

    Hey Ultra Man!
    Can’t wait to hear about the details of your race!
    “Linchpin” is killing me–and waking me up! Thanks for the book.

  2. Randy
    Randy on October 14, 2011 at 9:39 am

    Thanks bro. Glad to hear it. You are a Linchpin!!!

  3. Chris Patton
    Chris Patton on October 14, 2011 at 10:13 am

    Thanks for the accountability! This is so true, but easy to forget!
    I will be praying in the morning…asking for strength and endurance for you and giving praise that I am not involved!

    • kathy in California
      kathy in California on October 14, 2011 at 6:55 pm

      I too will be praying for you, Randy. You will do it! I also will give thanks that I am not the one going through the torture tomorrow morning (oh my knees and feet would howl). Blessings on you, Kathy

      • Randy
        Randy on October 15, 2011 at 9:15 pm

        Thanks for the prayers Kathy. I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!
        Long hard day, but very rewarding to cross the finish line.
        Hope you and the team are all doing well.
        Blessings

  6. ann flood
    ann flood on October 14, 2011 at 1:23 pm

    My mother used to tell me, ” the impossible just takes a little longer”

    • Randy
      Randy on October 15, 2011 at 9:16 pm

      Your Mom was a wise woman. I made it!!!!!!!

  7. Joe Platillero
    Joe Platillero on October 15, 2011 at 10:53 am

    Man, you are amazing!!! Looking forward to hearing how it goes!!!You are a BEAUTY 🙂

    • Randy
      Randy on October 15, 2011 at 9:14 pm

      Thanks for the prayers Joe!

  8. Scott Bender
    Scott Bender on October 16, 2011 at 3:23 pm

    Wow! You just raised the bar high for everyone who has a goal and is discouraged about how the achieving part of it is going. Thanks for the inspiration. Can’t wait to hang out again soon.
    Rest and recoop. I am sure you need it!

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