Like a lot of you, we’re still riding a bit of a high since last weekend’s Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. If you ran, supported, cheered, or volunteered… congrats again! It was a record-setting day in lots of ways, and every one of you had a role in making it so.
The Team is digging out from piles of emails, DM’s, post-event data, invoices, and other bits of behind-the-scenes business that come with putting on events. It’s all super-sexy stuff. And as always, there a tons of lessons learned, success stories, and opportunities to make next year even better.
I’ll shift gears into first-person here, since this one’s my personal takeaway and request to each and every one of you: please, don’t say “just.”
Over the course of the last few weeks, during the Expo, and even on event day itself; I couldn’t possibly count the number of folks told me they were just running the half marathon, or just running the 5k, or even just going out along the course to cheer or see some friends while they ran.
To me, that just feels wrong.
Truth is, if you’re running a half marathon (or a marathon) you’re among the 1-percent of the population who’s done so. Running a 5K or 10k? Only a single-digit percentage of folks have checked that box. That’s pretty special. And if you’ve ever volunteered or cheered at an event, you know you’re good and spent once the athletes have all crossed the finish line. Maybe just as tired as the runners themselves? See what I did there.
I spend a lot of time at start lines and finish lines. I know what happens in between those lines, and what goes on behind the scenes. No one is just running. Every single one of you has a reason you’re out there. I’ve written thousands of words and spent hours and hours recording The Running Around Charlotte Podcast, asking your “why.” And no one is just volunteering or cheering, or just setting alarms for 2am to make sure everyone else out there has the safest, most rewarding experience possible.
It is, and you all are, the real deal. And that’s just facts.
Next time I see you on the road, at the Expo, at a start or finish line, or even at the grocery store… I hope you’ll let me know you just completed your first marathon, half marathon, 5k, etc.; just reached a personal best; or just got your voice back after cheering all day along the course.
That would be just great!
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