Norma Struggles through high heat and sore feet

Wednesday March 10, 2010

Today was a tough day for Norma I think. I did not hear from her today but as I look at the rankings, she dropped a few spots which tells me that she struggled today. She is so competitive that I am sure she would not choose to let anyone move ahead of her.

From what I can tell on the www.racingtheplanet.com website, many people struggled today. Temperatures were very hot and it looks like a couple of aid stations may have run low on water. Mary Gadams, the race series owner and race director, does an amazing job of orchestrating these events. The logistics are just baffling but she gets it done every time. But days like today are just part of the experience. We go to the deserts to suffer and to struggle in hopes that we gain knowledge. I think a lot of racers learned something about themselves today.

I am hoping that Norma remembers that she is not racing the others. Instead, my hope is that she takes a deep breath and remembers that there are many people out here that are just pulling for her to do her best. I know that she feels some pressure to perform well and that can be difficult when things go wrong. My experience is that every race has it’s highs and lows and neither of them should dictate the lasting imprint from the experience.

All of these multi day races are about adapting to the changing circumstances. I guess the same could be said for most aspects of life. Business, relationships, running and family are pretty much the same. Our success is usually dependent on our ability to adapt to the changing circumstances. In Norma’s case, it appears that the desert made the rules today but if I know Norma she will get up and go after it again tomorrow.

I love her for her spirit and the fact that she is never afraid to put it all on the line.