Race Overview

Now in its 5th year, the West End St Patty’s Day 5k is a festive, fun-filled, flat and fast 5k through the West End of Allentown. The race benefits the West End Alliance, a not-for-profit organization of neighbors and merchants dedicated toward the continued emergence of Allentown’s West End Theatre District. I’m fortunate to know the Race Director, Michael Drabenstott, and since Michael is a runner, I knew that this would be a quality event – a race for runners by a runner. I was scheduled to run it last year, but a nagging IT Band injury kept me sidelined, so this would be my first time running what’s come to be known as one of the Lehigh Valley’s favorite and largest 5k’s

Amenities

As anybody who has done more than a few races knows, having good amenities at a race of any distance can make a big difference both in your performance and in your overall impression of the event. It definitely comes into play during the colder months when the last thing you want to do is wait for the race start in the elements.

To that end the St. Patty’s Day 5k really delivered. Having access to Muhlehberg College’s Memorial Hall provided a warm place to gather both pre- and post-race. Check-in was well staffed and the volunteers were cheery, helpful and very knowledgeable. Warm bathrooms and a well-run bag check were two other really nice offerings. Another awesome bonus was the fact that the hall was next door to Muhlenberg’s track. This provided me with an awesome place to warm-up and cool-down. Sure I could have done both on the road, but when you have nice facilities accessible why not use them?

The post-race spread was really nice as well. There was an assortment of fruit, cookies sandwich wraps (including a all veggie option) and chips. It was actually one of the nicer 5k spreads that I’ve seen.

Course

The race began on the Muhlenberg College campus in front of Memorial Hall and followed the same route as Allentown’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This translated into running on well-maintained city streets in a very residential area of the city with lots of built-in green clad, adult-beverage powered, crowd support. It also meant that other than a gradual incline up Tilghman Street (if you can call it that) this course was pretty darn flat (at least compared to what I regularly train on) and begging to be run fast. With a lot of local Allentown PD and fire police support to keep things safe and moving, the course was extremely well marked and very easy to negotiate.

Conditions

Weather in mid-March is always a mixed-bag and despite having snow the day prior to the race, the weather cooperated pretty well. At the start it was around 32° F, mostly cloudy with peeks of sun and breezy. Granted it wasn’t as warm as in years past, but I prefer running in cooler weather so the conditions were ideal to me.

Field

If memory serves me correctly, I believe that Michael said that there were a little over 600 registered runners. And based on my review of the results list, a little over 500 actually ran the race. I’ve been told that, especially when weather is questionable, you can expect to see a 10-15% difference between the two numbers and this appeared to be consistent. The Lehigh Valley really is an awesome place to run because we have such a talented running community. And for those who are unfamiliar with the area, we’re also home to Rodale, publishers of Runner’s World and Running Times magazines (to name just a few). That means that it’s not uncommon to spot your favorite editor or author toeing the line at a local race. The St. Pat’s race attracted at least two Runner’s World columnists: Mark Remy, Editor at Large and author of the Remy’s World column and RW Gear Editor Jeff Dengate. I’m sure there were plenty of other local notables, they were just two that I immediately recognized.

Swag

Another place that you can always tell whether or not the RD was thinking about the runners was in the selection of what they gave you as a reminder of the race. T-shirts are pretty standard. Pint glasses or beer mugs less so. Runner’s were given the choice of either a quality cotton t-shirt that had the race logo on the front and a tasteful amount of sponsors on the back or a really nice glass beer mug. I opted for the t-shirt when I registered but decided to pick-up the mug at the race because who can’t use another beer mug? And I can’t overlook the bibs…perhaps one of the most fun aspects of the race! Everybody received a bib with their proper Irish name…whether you were Irish or not. It really is all of the little details that make a big difference.

Results

I was originally writing this to summarize my race day experience and performance but it quickly turned out to be more of a race review. So instead of sharing my time, I’ll share the winning male and female times below. If you’re so inclined you can view the full results on the Pretzel City Sports website.

Top-3 Male

Jeff Dengate – Emmaus, PA – 17:31

Philip Rector – Hellertown, PA – 17:40

Jeffrey Karwacki – Allentown, PA – 17:41

Top-3 Female

Lisa Boyle – Allentown, PA – 20:04

Tracy McFillin – Allentown, PA – 20:29

Michele Belisle – Wescosville, PA – 20:48

Course Records: Male – Nick Birosik (2009) 16:11; Female – Amanda Daws (2012) 18:06

Race Rating

Great amenities, a fast and well supported course, good weather, nice swag, a fun environment and for a good cause. I don’t think you can ask for much more from a race. The St Pat’s 5k will stay on my race calendar for years to come. If you haven’t raced it yet, I highly recommend it. Just remember registration fills-up fast so don’t wait too long.

Rating:

In a runner’s life it’s pretty common to fail, but quitting is pretty taboo. However, for a new runner the difference can seem nuanced. Rest assured it really isn’t. The differences are myriad.

Failure is simply setting down a path in search of a goal fully committed to following it to it’s end only to find out that it doesn’t lead to where you wanted to be.

Quitting is following a similar course but giving up along the way, before the realization that you are on the wrong path is apparent.

The difference between failure and quitting is in the commitment. Failing is hard, takes a lot of work, yields a lot of experience and insight and while not fun, leaves you a better person. Quitting on the other hand just means that you don’t have what it takes to follow anything through.

Failures are often watershed moments in many people’s lives. A defining moment that they never forget and draw upon to fuel further success. Quitters are generally cast aside, forgotten and left to their own devices. There is only a slight difference between the two. Which are you?

Overview

The goal was to run 37-miles on my 37th birthday, which for the record was December 31, 2011. I did it to prove to myself that I could, to push my personal boundaries and simply because I could. In the end, it was the best and worst experience of my life. It was the most awesome and – at times – the most painful thing I ever did. It made me hate life and love living. Most importantly it showed me that I have way more in me than I ever knew. It also showed me that I have a ton of family and friends that really care about me, support me, and would give-up their time to help me achieve something that was I felt was important.

Another important aspect was raising money for a charity that I chose based on a lot of research. I know them by E2C, but officially they are known as Endure to Cure. E2C is a pediatric cancer foundation that raises funds for very specific campaigns at organizations that research, treat, and/or provide support for pediatric cancer patients. They seek to rank in the top tier among all charities with an industry-high ratio of donations that go to the cause (85% or greater). I respect the professionalism and mission of the organization so I was happy to dedicate my miles to them and all of the kiddos that they are helping.

The Route

What Went Right

Almost everything! I had unconditional support from my wife and son for the whole crazy expedition. Never underestimate just how important having a strong support system, especially when most think you are crazy! Laura never once doubted my ability and provided a ton of support. Along for the entire adventure was my life-long friend, best-man, and Andrew’s godfather Kyle serving as support-rider, photographer, and communications chief. Along the way I’d meet up with my sister, Niki who brought me food and enthusiasm from Cementon through Allentown, Mike, who I’ve known for a while but never met in person, who ran with me from Allentown to Bethlehem and shared a ton of great stories and inspired me to run my best.

There were also a cast of other characters that all contributed to the effort. Tommy, my Dad, Kyle’s wife Lisa and their kids, were all there throughout and their support really inspired me.

As with any significant effort planning plays a big role. With the help of the folks at the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor I was able to plot a great route that would keep me off of busy roads (mostly) and prevent getting lost. The weather also played a big role. I had anticipated typical late-December weather (e.g. cold) but was treated to a relatively mild day, with no wind and plenty of sun. That made the run much easier, and more pleasant.

All-in-all I think all external factors came into alignment in my favor, so I feel like I was destined to achieve my objective.

What Went Wrong

I definitely underestimated the amount of time that it would take me to get ready on the day of the run. I had my gear ready, my clothing laid-out, etc. but everything took a lot longer to pull together. Maybe it was the time of day, maybe it was my lack of sleep, but it delayed our departure by over 50-minutes. Not that I had a time goal, but the start was inauspicious at best.

I also came out of the gate a bit ambitiously. I tackled the first 14-miles in a better time than my second best half marathon (1:58). I tried to hold back but the pace felt good and it was hard to slow things down. I don’t know that I would have changed anything based on what I knew at the time, but having done it I would have definitely gone slower from the start so I would have had more at the end.

Another unexpected issue was around mile 28, when we were diverted from the original course by the Bethlehem Police Department. Sand Island – in Bethlehem – was closed because they were setting-up fireworks for the New Years Eve celebration. The alternate route we were provided by the officer – who I’m sure was trying to be helpful – was totally off and that sent Kyle and I on a jungle expedition that ended in a dead-end which resulted in a 2.5 mile detour uphill and on the road and totally killed my spirit. By the time we were back on trail I was mentally ready to quit, but we pressed-on despite the huge set-back.

Another periodic set-back was unexpected terrain changes. I plotted the route based on memory and map. Had I pre-rode the route I would have found some alternative routes for some of the stuff that we encountered. Niki and I lost Kyle in Northampton when the trail got iffy. We encountered a huge hill in Allentown just before connecting back onto the D&L trail. The route into the finish line was fuzzy at best, largely because I didn’t do enough homework. I own those mistakes for not doing my due-dilligence.

The final set-back was in the last handful of miles the wheels came off of the cart – around mile 30 – and I couldn’t (note: not didn’t want to, I physically couldn’t) run any more, and had to resort to power-walking the last 7-miles, because I couldn’t let it go and knew that I was close to my goal!

Lesson learned? Running for distance is full of challenges, obstacles and unknowns. Nothing ever goes according to plan so just be mentally prepared, accept that something unexpected will probably happen and treat it as part of the adventure.

Hydration & Nutrition Strategy

The week prior to the event I was pretty diligent about my caloric intake. I didn’t overdo it, but I also gave myself some flexibility to consume extra calories. It didn’t hurt that I was out of town for much of the week so I had the opportunity to indulge in the holiday bounty. The night before I indulged in a reasonable, but hearty, pasta dinner. It worked for the half that I did a few weeks earlier, so I figured it couldn’t hurt. The morning of the run I didn’t want to eat – never do – but since we had a decent ride to the start I ate a banana and chunky (the best and only kind of) peanut butter and a cup of coffee. Unheard of in normal races but since I knew it was a long day I wanted to be caffeinated (at least a bit).

I carried a Nathan 2-liter hydration pack, which added weight to my load but gave me essential H20 and some space to haul some food. Being a half marathon guy, hydration and food are generally never an issue but I’ve learned enough to know I need water and some type of nutrition about every 4-miles, even if it’s only a nibble and a sip, so I made a concerted effort after mile 4 to eat and drink – generally every 2-miles or so. By the time I reached Cementon / Northampton I was down about a 3/4 of a liter. Not sure if that was too little – or too much – but I was able to refill when I met Niki for the next 10-miles.

On the run, I had grand delusions of filling my face full of food as I went – similar to stories that I’ve read by others who have done that sort of thing – but the reality was that I really wasn’t that interested in eating. Following my half marathon strategy I started popping Clif Shot Bloks every 4 miles after mile-4. I also took as much water as I could handle. Around mile-6 I cracked open a Gatorade G-Series Prime drink (I packed 3) and sipped from that for a mile or two. They recommend drinking it 15-minutes prior to starting, but I thought it would be a good source of hydration and nutrients regardless of where I was at.

I didn’t eat anything else through mile-18. At that point Niki strongly encouraged (aka forced) me to eat a whole wheat mini bagel with peanut butter which I reluctantly accepted but totally appreciated. As it turned out she packed an entire care pack with another bagel and PB, more Shot Bloks (she knows that I love them), a couple of bananas, and an assortment of other stuff. Little did I know I would really need all of it.

After our detour debacle, I ate the other peanut butter bagel, and drank a ton of water. That was really the last of the eating for the entire expedition.

Lesson learned? If you are planning to run any distance over 20-miles, have a hydration and nutrition plan. You may not think you’ll need it, but you probably will.

Training Strategy

I’ll be honest here. I thought I had covered more ground than 15-miles in a single outing prior to this run but I didn’t. I also thought that I cleared over 40-miles in a week at least once before, but I missed that mark too. I was completely undertrained for what I took on, but it proved to me that achieving a distance is as much about having done it, as it is knowing you can. I felt like I could cover the distance, I knew I had the support in place to make it happen, all that I needed to do was make it happen.

Initially I said that “had I to do it over again I’d probably keep the same approach. Ignorance is bliss and by not fixating on how difficult what I was trying to do was, it made it not matter.” I’ve since reconsidered. I knew my running habits, abilities and mental toughness, but I also know, in hindsight, that I could have trained more so I was better prepared for the last 8-miles. It was tough and while mentally I was good to go, my body simply wasn’t. I’d probably add in a few more weeks with long-runs up to 22-24 miles.

And while I’ll still believe that we are being conditioned to over-think everything rather than just going for it, proper, prior planning prevents piss poor performance. I got away with it this time. I may not be as lucky the next. There are definitely smarter, more pragmatic ways of going about a run of this distance. I cannot deny that. When I do it again I’ll be a little smarter about my training.

Lesson learned? Never underestimate training – physical and mental – they are the foundation upon which all great things are built. That doesn’t mean you have to over-think it, just be smart and do the work. It will pay dividends in the end.

Summary

Here are the final stats:

Miles run: 37.38 miles
Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Half Marathon time: 1:58:34
Marathon time: 4:22:58
Average pace: 13:13 / mile
Calories burned: ~6,505
Water consumed: 2.5 liters
Food consumed: 7 Clif Shot Blocks, 2 mini whole wheat bagels and peanut butter, 1/2 banana, 2 Peanut butter mini Clif bars, 2 8-ounce Gatorade G2 Prime drinks.
Injuries: 2 blisters (one on each big toe)

In the end, it was the greatest experience of my life – the most awesome and most painful thing I’ve ever done. It made me question my sanity and love living. Most importantly it showed me that I have way more potential in me than I ever dreamed possible. It also proved to me that I have a ton of family and friends that care about me, support me, and would give-up their time to help me achieve something that was important to me. Finally, it demonstrated the importance of setting a huge goal and going for it.

There is so much that I can, and will, say about this experience, but the most important aspect, to me, is the fact that an awesome feeling to set what seems to be an impossible goal and go for it. So often our brain tells us that what we want to do doesn’t make sense or is impossible. More often than not, it’s right. But every now and again it’s wrong and the only way you can enjoy the rewards of the accomplishment is by going for it. My 37-miles is one of those times and I’m really happy that I did. I hope your adventures lead you to the same conclusion!

Social channels are the ideal place to listen to your constituents and provide unparalleled customer support. One stellar example is Media Temple, a web hosting company that supports mega-brands like Sony, Toyota and NBC Universal as well as small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Web hosting is a tough business and for many businesses not being online comes at a huge cost, and Media Temple takes their responsibility very seriously. As one would expect, they have a well-defined process to log support requests online or over the phone. But we’ve found that they respond even faster if we use Twitter to point out a problem we’re having.

Think about what that means internally: Media Temple has assigned someone (probably more than one) to monitor the Twitterverse for mention of the company, to parse the information for customer service opportunities, to make a decision, and then to act upon it. That indicates a very thoughtful process that has been allotted both time and resources to succeed.

During Hurricane Irene, I also had the time and opportunity to observe some local and regional businesses use social media to talk to their constituents. Out of all these experiences, I came up with a few guidelines for using Facebook and Twitter as a customer service tool.

Think of social media as a two-way street.

To quote Yoda: “Do, or do not. There is no try.” If you don’t have the personnel or the process to monitor it, don’t even bother having a social media presence. Seriously. Done well, it can win your business praise and patience. Done poorly, it will win you ridicule and resentment. It takes a commitment of time and resources to do consistently and effectively. During the hurricane, one regional utility provider gave regular updates presented in a personable company voice. They were responsive to questions from the audience, kept long hours and provided exceptional value in each of its communications.

Get ahead of problems whenever you can.

For all but the largest businesses, being everywhere that your customers need you is nearly impossible. Service requests and repairs need to be triaged. Social media as a broadcast tool can help set expectations for your customers as you make your priorities clear—particularly important during a crisis. The same utility provider made a very strong push on Twitter BEFORE the hurricane, getting out the word to follow them and to explain what to expect in the days ahead.

Be transparent, honest and helpful.

What you say on Twitter or Facebook is coming straight from the brand. It doesn’t take much on a social media channel to give your company a reputation for being unprofessional, secretive and obstructive. Typos, misspellings, grammatical mistakes all . make your business look amateur. You can still be conversational—but treat it like any other official communication channel. Be wary about delegating the responsibility to someone who’s not ready for prime time.

The key takeaway? As more of your customers embrace social media, your marketing and customer service functions need to do the same. Consumers expect you to be responsive, sincere and honest. Failure to do so could cost you their business and the business of their friends and family. That’s a pretty high price to pay for not being ready and willing to embrace change.

This post was originally written for and posted at my former employer, Altitude Marketing, blog.

Last week I was forced to accept a new label, one that I did not want or expect to be branded with, but one that I’m now coming to terms with: UNEMPLOYED. Unbeknownst to me the company i had been working for moved in one direction and I moved in another and what resulted was that they no longer saw the need or value for the position that I held and it was subsequently eliminated.

The timing was probably fortuitous, as I think I was settling for a little less than I really wanted out of my career, and the nature of my job was getting a bit monotonous. I also realized that things that I valued the most like mentoring and being mentored, having upward mobility, getting professional development, and helping others didn’t necessarily hold the same level of importance to them as it did for me. But as the saying goes: “you can’t move to the future by living in the past.” It’s definitely time to move forward.

I find myself in an exciting, yet very uncertain, place in my life where I’m able to ask myself questions like: “if I could do anything in my career what would it be?” and “if I had the choice to move to any type of field, industry or organization where would I go?” In a situation that, up until recently, was out of my control, it provides with with a source of inspiration, power and control.

I really still have a lot that I need to figure out. After all, getting what you want sometimes requires giving up some of what you have, but I’m slowly defining exactly what it is that I want. The one thing that I feel relatively confident in saying is that I want to return to working in the Association space. This is due to my prior experience at PMI and all of the phenomenal friends that I made (and remarkably still have considering how long it’s been since I was there)! It’s also where I feel like I can make the greatest contribution and have a durable and long-lasting career.

One caveat here…I’m not limiting myself to only the association space, rather I’ve identified my time spent there as a point in my career where I felt the most personally and professionally fulfilled, and therefore I thought it was a good place to focus my initial search. However, if an attractive position that aligned with my career goals and interests happened to come to my attention in a small business, large corporation, or academic institution I would surely give it serious consideration.

As for what I’m looking for…I’m truly a generalist with a ton of interests, skills and abilities. I have years of technology and education experience, have a pretty good handle on social media, online marketing, and things of that nature, have solid project management experience and skills, a bunch of volunteer management experience, not to mention a ton of other stuff that is better suited for a resume rather than a blog post.

Here’s the thing, I need your help. If you are hiring for, or know somebody who is hiring for a position that may be of interest to me and in line with what i outlined above, I’d appreciate it if you could let me know. If you hear chatter in your professional networks, social networks, or around town let me know. For those of you who have interacted with me, personally or professionally, if you like my style, perspective and capabilities, could you share my story with your friends, colleagues, executives, etc. I’d be extremely appreciative. You can also tweet it, like it on Facebook, share it, whatever works for you…just please help me get the word out!

The association community, while large, is still rather close knit, so I’m a firm believer in the fact that it’s not just what you know, but also who you know. I know many of you and you’re all pretty phenomenal, so I’m hoping that you all know some phenomenal people that you can connect me with.

So to bring this full-circle…we can chose to be defined by the labels that we accumulate through life or we can use them as a catalyst for change and source of motivation and inspiration. I’m choosing, as I hope you’ll choose, the later. While I don’t particularly love my newest label, I also refuse to be defined by it. I want to be known, respected and remembered for how I acted and reacted during tough times. Down but definitely not out!

Thanks for reading!

A few months ago I learned about a new arrival on the Lehigh Valley 1/2 mile scene – the Delaware and Lehigh Heritage Half and Full Marathon – that would give me even more reason to get out among the color and get another 1/2 under my belt. The course would follow the Historically significant D&L trail. Why Historically significant you may ask? Well among the many reasons, the fact that the Anthracite coal industry was born here and that coal powered the first American Industrial Revolution, seems to be a pretty important fact, at least in this bloggers opinion, but I digress, I happen to know quite a bit about our region due to my exhaustive research on it during my undergrad studies, but I’ll save the History lesson for a later post.

So knowing that there was going to be a great, inaugural event, essentially in my backyard, that had significant Historical and personal meaning, during a beautiful time of the year I felt pretty compelled to sign-up! I couldn’t recruit my usual partner-in-crime (my sister) to run, and my other running friends were either ramping into an event of their own or recovering from one. This 1/2 would be all me!

The race course would essentially meander North along the Lehigh River from Northampton to Slatington taking us through once grand, and economically important, canal towns like Cementon, Laury’s Station and Walnutport. Since the trail consists of reclaimed tow paths and rail beds, it has a very gentle grade making it ideal for running and the fall colors made it really beautiful. Knowing that running is as much mental as it is physical, being surrounded by natural beauty and tons of History provided plenty of mental distraction, which is never a bad thing. The event would end up being something of a trek back in time and one that I was pretty keen on taking. The only variable out of anyone’s control was the weather, and given the rather soggy past few months a distinct issue, but even it was idyllic this past Sunday.

All said, the race itself was uneventful, and in this context should be taken as a good thing! It was a first time event, with what I believe to be inexperienced race directors (though I could be wrong) so I didn’t set a very high bar. However, what I expected and what I experienced we’re really miles apart. Everything, from packet pick-up a few days before the event, to day-of logistics (parking, shuttles, course marshalls and volunteers) to the finish festival were thoughtfully organized and well executed. Sure there were some rough edges, but I have no doubt that they will be a distant memory by the time the event rolls around next year!

Personally, I did ok at the 1/2. I didn’t set any land-speed records but I finished well, besting my first attempt at a half 1 month prior (Via LVHN) by a little more than 5 minutes. I guess you could say that I PR’ed, but with only two under my belt I think I have a way to go before I start keeping records. I did however break the 2-hour mark, coming in at 1:59:21 after a sprint with another competitor (more on that in a future post). I’m honestly pretty satisfied with the effort, despite holding back a bit due to the pain from my IT Band Syndrome, so I know that once I’ve taken time to rehab my leg and train more consistently, I should be able to get time down considerably.

In my next post I’m going to share many of the lessons that I learned gearing up for my second 1/2. However, I needed to capture the moment, provide the context and more importantly recognize the fine folks at the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, all of the wonderful volunteers, and the event sponsors for putting together such a wonderful event! Thanks to all for creating such a memorable day.

I spent many a hour creating new Lego masterpieces, tearing apart and rebuilding my assortment of radio controlled cars, learning to program my Commodore 64 computer, and installing new high-end audio gear in my cars. The act of creating and doing in many ways seemed to have been much more important than enjoying the final product. I think in some ways it was the act of learning something new and getting really good at it is what really motivated me.

In college it was much the same. I was a liberal artist to the extreme! I had a number of majors – education, ecology, geography, economics, History, Political Science, and pre-Law before ending my 5 years with dual degrees in History and Political Science and beginning a Master’s program in Political Science. Again the outcome seemed to be less important than the act of learning itself. However, one thing that did feel right was the environment, college was one place that seemed to fit me well.

It was during my time in college that I rediscovered my love (and aptitude) for computing having lucked my way into a work-study program in the Computer Science department. 7 semesters later (4 as a helper and 3 as a TA) I had amassed quite a wealth of knowledge and comfort working in the world of bits and bytes. Little did I know at the time that the experience would pave the way for most of what was to come in my career. My professional life since college has been filled many more examples of that type of lucking my way into things as opposed to having a clear direction.

Without making this post a complete autobiography focusing on where I’ve been, I’m really more interested in what it means to me moving forward. I guess the biggest questions in my mind today are how do I (a) parlay all of my past experiences into a meaningful, durable and lasting career and (b) go from a person that for the most part found his way into jobs by being at the right place at the right time? How do I transform what has been, at least to this point, a career based on serendipity, into something more focused?

Here’s what I know for sure…there’s no time like the present to figure out what’s next, after all I hate squandering rare opportunities! But is it time for retrenchment or revolution? Do I figure out exactly what it is I want to do even at the expense of starting from scratch or do I look at what I’ve done, what I know and what I seemed to have accelled at and use that as my new baseline? It would seem that either option, at least from my perspective, comes with it’s own set of benefits and drawbacks and either could lead me to the end goal that I’m seeking. It’s a unique challenge!

The bottom line for me is that whatever course I plot for myself has to lead me to a destination where I can find enjoyment and fulfillment in what I do, where I can ultimately make a difference in the world around me, where I can earn enough to provide for my family, and where I can strike a reasonable balance between my life at work and my life outside of work. Knowing these things to be non-negotiable, I can now start figuring out the specifics of what I want to do and where I want to go. No small task, but a challenge that I finally feel ready to face!

For those that are listening and either know me personally or through my blog what would you do (or have done) if/when faced with a similar situation? Of all of the things that I can do which do you see me best at/most passionate about? I’m not looking for you to figure this out for me -only I can do that – rather I’m just looking for some external perspective!

I’m not entirely sure why I was still standing when the music stopped, leaving me without a seat in this game of musical chairs, but it’s the position I’m in currently and my new reality. So today marks a new beginning for me, a chance to reinvent myself (or not), a chance to be contemplative and deliberate, a chance to begin a new adventure and add yet another interesting chapter to my book of life. It’s both extremely exciting and tremendously terrifying, but I feel strangely empowered by the ambiguity. In fact, it feels strangely familiar and similar to the first time that I toed the line at the start of my first 1/2 marathon.

I had trained – mentally and physically – hard to be ready for that day, but despite my preparations I was filled with many conflicting emotions as I awaited the start signal. What was I doing? Who am I to think I could run 13.1 miles? What if I failed? What if I succeeded? Self-doubt is a pretty powerful force. You can let it hold you back or use it to propel you forward, but ultimately it’s a choice…a conscious decision that only you can make. I chose then, as I’m choosing now, to use it to my advantage but ultimately it’s on me to decide. Step by step, mile by mile, day by day I have to make the decision, consciously or subconsciously, to keep moving forward.

My 1/2 marathon training has provided me with a powerful lesson and tremendous metaphor for the challenge we face in life. Just as some runs are good when you find the right pace and tempo, others are a struggle. Sometimes you feel like you could go on forever, and others leave you wondering why you bother. Sometimes you tackle challenges like a faster tempo or a hill you once thought you could never make it to the top of, while others leave you broken, tired and full of self-doubt. Sometimes you push through adversity like cramps, side stickers, and injury with aplomb, while others leave you hurting, walking or even sidelined.

To be a successful runner, is to be a success at anything else in life. You learn to set realistic, but lofty goals, and pursue them with all that you have. You come to expect the unexpected, to celebrate the good and learn from the bad. You learn to cease every moment and cherish the opportunity. You learn to push through the pain, because it is temporary and you’ll emerge on the other side of it stronger, more confident and more self-aware. And as importantly, you’ll come to realize that failure is not a reason to stop, but a reason to reflect and redouble your efforts.

Regardless, starting is a choice, just as giving up is a choice, and only you can make it. It wasn’t my choice to close this chapter of my career as abruptly as it did, but it is my choice to start fresh, feeling unencumbered and empowered to succeed. I’m not sure where I’m going or what path will ultimately lead me to my destination but I plan on tackling this challenge as I would any new race, course or workout…by taking a step forward and continuing one foot after the other.

Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Rest in Peace Mr. Jobs! I never met you, but I’ve always respected you. The world won’t be the same without all of your contributions. Thank you for everything you did for technology, business and society. Few will be missed as much as you will be.