Your Life's Footprint

The greatest legacy is that which benefits the widest number of people for the longest period without limit to value.  Cat Stevens

Baseball lost a great man today. Gary Carter succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 57. Best remembered for his contributions to the 1986 New York Mets and their World Series championship, he was a leader. But that is not why I write today. I write not to eulogize him. Instead I write because I am thinking of the legacy of life and the footprint we leave during our time on this terra firma.

Gary Carter had no impact on my life. However there are those that he did impact - friends, family, and teammates alike.

It can be quite humbling to think of one's impact on the world. Who will remember you when you are gone? What will they say? Some will have more influence on other people's lives than others, but no one leaves this world without making some sort of impact. To be a leader is to not only get people to follow you, but to understand the impact you have. You may not be aware of it, but it is happening. And this impact can last long after your respective lives have charted different courses. And this was the impact of Gary Carter. He was a man who did not participate in the wild living of his teammates, but instead walked the straight and narrow. It was years after that many of his teammates realized he was a man ahead of his time. They looked back fondly on the time they spent with him and realized the impact he had on their lives.

Three years ago I was blessed with the opportunity to begin coaching baseball. It was, in fact, my main motivation for beginning this blog. I've documented what I've learned a long the way and some of the experiences I've had. I've had the chance to teach and learn all at once. It can be somewhat humbling knowing that years down the road something I said or did may be remembered by one of the kids. I have no way of knowing if it will positively impact their lives the way Gary Carter did with the people he shared his life with, but I can only hope.

I Am Baseball

Post Race Wrap Up

A little over a month ago, I did something that 2 months before that seemed like a good idea. I did two half marathons within a few weeks of each other. And as has been the story with my last few runs, I struggled with my motivation to properly prepare for them. From bowing out of one race, to doing just enough for others, my last few races have been just OK. I'm by know means a world beater at these things, but I know where I can finish and my last few haven't been there.

May 15th I returned to where I made my first foray into the sport two years ago, the Mississauga Marathon.  Was I happy with my finish? Yes. But again, it wasn't quite where I know I can be. I crossed the finish line in 2:12 which was right about where I figured I would.

Two weeks later on May 29th I ran in Ottawa. This was fun. My finishing time at 2:21 I wasn't overly happy with, but the whole experience of Ottawa Race Weekend was amazing. It is an event the whole city embraces. Road closures weren't bemoaned like they tend to be in races around the GTA. The whole city gets behind it. At no point during the race is it just the thousands of runners plodding along. There are people everywhere. I think the only one who didn't get behind it was Mother Nature. It rained - constantly. But the rain did little to dampen the spirits of those that participated. I will most definitely be back to do this race.
And next time my showing will be better.

I'm not quite sure where my motivation has gone for running this past little while. Yes, it's punishing, but that's not what has drained me. I've heard it said that when you do a full marathon you must respect the distance. Train appropriately and don't take it lightly. And I wonder if that's my problem. My fear of running 22.1 km is gone. Prior to my first  few races I was afraid. I didn't sleep well. I feared going out too fast and burning out. I worried about missing one training run. The (ahem) run-up to the race consumed me. Now, not so much. I run. I finish. And what happens in between doesn't really phase me, but for when I look up to see the time I cross the line.

This isn't uncommon for this sport so I hear. People go through lulls and struggle with their motivation. My lull just seems to be elongated. The ever quotable Yogi Berra once said (of baseball) that, "Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical." And so it is with running. It is both mental and physical. Now I just need to employ more of my 90%.