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Some things remain the same – thankfully
By Charles Martin | March 29, 2010
I arrived back at my track clinic last Tuesday with a little hesitation. After all, I hadn’t been there for more than two years and the crew there is into it. These are people that don’t skip much. Also, the 6000 meters I was about to run wasn’t going to be spectacularly fun – it’s hard work.
I brought along @scubagroves and after some introductions, it was on to the track and a 90 minute session began. This is speed work so that our marathons and other races finish strong. They are coached by Chuck Foote, a well-known expert in the world of running in Los Angeles.
The first thing I noticed was that while coach had gotten a bit older, his trademark knowledge and focus on OUR needs hadn’t subsided. He does all this for a mere $25 a month. Probably the best $25 a guy like me could spend. He’s shaved off countless hours from people’s marathon times and if you saw him at the grocery store, you wouldn’t know that he’s a celebrity in our little circle.
Once the main part of the clinic started and we began a level of hard 300′s and 600′s, I was in the groove and doing OK for someone that hadn’t run “all out” in a while. I was, like always, kind of geared behind the same folks at each lap. I began to notice that one of my favorites, Jesus, hadn’t changed a stitch in his stride, in his abilities, and even his running garb and he’s now 67. Another gal — same thing. “She always wears that tank top”, I said to myself. But wait — it’s been more than 2 years! The comfort of this was something that propelled me to good finish times. The comfort of same-same is great in this instance and something that will help me get back into a marathon training routine a lot easier.
LESSON: There are a lot of people in our lives that we don’t want to change and we should remind ourselves of this. There are a lot of people in our lives that simply go on hold and are the same when you return and that’s what’s so great about them. We all worry that if we don’t seize every moment or attend every single event that comes our way, that we’ll be left out. Life asks us to put some things on hold so we can do other more important things (like me with kids). I found again that if you treat the situation with respect and interest and invest yourself, you’ll find everyone back in their place when you return.
This applies in business too. Your best customers are the ones that will always be there. Every time I get a “residual” from past clients that I haven’t spoken to in sometimes years, I see by their activity that they continue to fulfill their promise of good business habits. I’m sure they are also there because my company has reciprocated.
Thanks for being there everyone.
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