My thought as I began to write this week’s blog was to try to draw some parallels between running a marathon and working in the meat and poultry industry. But, try as I might, all my thoughts seem to be just too preachy and lecture-like. And, nobody likes a “holier than thou” lecture on their life’s work. So, no lectures — just some marathon experiences I have had that, to me, parallel some industry work experiences I also have had. You may identify with either or neither.

I truly enjoyed running marathons. That is, until the last one where I walked most of the 26.2 miles. I realized during my five-plus hours on the marathon course that it would be the last one in which I would participate. It truly was a testing crucible, the likes of which I hadn’t experienced in the previous 14 marathons I had completed.

My conclusion, so tortuously drawn, that this one would be my last one was verified by the announcer stationed at the finish line; he was announcing each runner completing the course to the by-then very sparse crowd. As I approached the finish line, I picked up my pace from a walk to a painful, slow jog. The announcer, much to my chagrin, announced me with my name and hometown to the assembly of maybe 10 observers. And, then, thinking his microphone was turned off, looked at his announcing compatriot and said, “Wow, that guy looks old and really tired.” He was right on both counts.

My faithful running partner, who had finished over an hour ahead of me, was there waiting for me to cross the finish line. Unfortunately, there were no buses left to carry us back to our hotel as they had already departed with the last of the happy but tired finishers. As we began to trudge our way back to the hotel, a bus showed up and we flagged it down. The driver, seeing my gaunt, emaciated condition, reluctantly agreed to take us back to our hotel rather than park his bus and complete his day’s work. Thank God!

Over the years, I have completed 15 marathons stretching from those in New York to Honolulu and venues in between. The fastest I ever completed one was in 3 hours, 37 minutes and 38 seconds, which equates to 8:18 per mile. I couldn’t run even one mile now in that time if you held a gun to my head. But I did it “back in the day” and that’s a testament to something.

We all have those crucible-like experiences which make us swell with pride. Many times, they are not just some fleeting athletic experience but work experiences in which we proved ourselves to others and, more importantly, to ourselves. And what better and probably harsher judge is there than each of us about us?

As for the parallels between my marathon experiences and my work experience, I would categorize three, but I am sure for you, there are many, many more.

First: preparation. You simply cannot just show up at the marathon start line and expect to run a good race, much less even finish one without having done a massive amount of preparation. It is the many training miles you put in that will propel you to a finish of which you can be proud. The same preparation methods applied equally to my work. You know this, and I would venture to say that you could name a few work experiences that replicate my thorough work and marathon preparation experiences that resulted in success.

Second: never give up. Even during the running/walking of my last marathon, the thought of quitting and walking off the course never entered my mind. To put it simply, if I start something worthwhile, I never give up. It’s really that simple and so true in all of life’s travails, both good and bad.

Third: if you can think it, you can do it. Sure, I was exhausted. My feet were killing me. My back, hips and knees hurt, but, and I say this with all candor, I was able to finish that last marathon because it was really all between my ears. For my work parallel, I found that it was my mind that helped me conquer any travail, if I let it.

Marathon parallels

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