In Ask Coach Tony, you can put my Operation Melt coaching to the test by asking me questions about how to achieve your goals.
Because a question asked by one is often a question had by many, I am regularly sharing these answers via the Operation Melt blog.
Amuse Bouche
Before we get to today’s post, I offer you this light “amuse-bouche” to entertain your mind before we get down to business. Like any other amuse-bouche, you may hate my “dad joke,” but it is worth every penny you paid for it, right?
Two silkworms challenged each other to a race. It ended in a tie.
Ask Coach Tony: Why Pay To Race When I Can Run For Free?
Coach Tony: Like you, I am a runner. But I have never paid to run in an organized race. Why would I pay to participate in a race I have no chance of winning when I can just run for free?
This is a great question and one that I get a lot. When I first started running, I had this same question myself. Once I started participating in organized races, I got my answer. Here are a few reasons I am a fan of organized races.
Motivation
You can’t beat the energy at a race!
From the time you arrive at the start line, upbeat music is playing, and emcees help build excitement. Hundreds, or maybe thousands, of other people are congregating with you, and they all have the same goal. They all want to do their best, challenge themselves and have fun. And, despite being strangers to you, every one of them is now your friend.
This energy is motivating and addictive. If you want to read my story of my first half marathon and how the energy turned into emotion for me, check out my post from 2018, Week 71: 325 Pounds to Half Marathon.
Inspiration
One of the biggest surprises at a race is the diversity of the people you will see there. All genders, gender identities, ethnicities and ages are represented (I’ve been passed by eighty-year-old runners). But the diversity doesn’t stop there. Many different body shapes and sizes are represented, as are many different levels of fitness and running experience. At a recent race, there were people who ran a five-minute mile and people who did a twenty-two-minute mile walk.
The diversity at a race is absolutely inspirational. It is a great way to help build your own self-acceptance.
Competition
A race is a competition, but not in the way you may think. For me, a race is a competition with myself. It is a chance to push myself hard to do better than I did at my previous race. Sometimes I do much better, and sometimes I don’t. But, the race setting, with somebody else keeping track of your time, is the ideal place to push yourself.
Contribution
Finally, most races are fundraisers, so the money goes to a good cause. For example, my final race of 2022 was the Jingle Bell Run which raised over $80,000 for the Arthritis Foundation. This means it is a win-win situation: I got all the benefits listed above, my t-shirt and other swag, and I helped a good cause.
For all those reasons and many others, I am a massive advocate for participating in organized races and try to do at least one per month. Am I going to see you there?
Ask Me Anything!
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Whatever your question, I am here to help. Ask Me Anything!
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Meet Coach Tony
My name is Coach Tony, and I am a coach, author and project manager on a mission. I am working to build a world where no goal ever dies of loneliness.
I almost allowed one of my biggest life goals to die without ever being attempted for forty years. My goal almost died, not of failure but of loneliness. But, I took a risk and leveraged a simple, logical process that helped me wildly exceed my goal.
I transformed my life, and you can do the same with the help of Operation Melt.
Operation Melt provides engaging, practical content and hands-on coaching to inspire, motivate and equip project managers and other left-brained high-achievers to pursue and accomplish their biggest goals.
Tony Weaver
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