The Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club vs. the Springfield Harriers – Lessons Learned?

UMass played a large part in my life. I was an employee and a student there. My daughter attended a wonderful day care run by the School of Education. I also belonged to the Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club (a private running club) and we occasionally used the indoor and outdoor tracks for training and meets. During a recent visit to Amherst,  I was a bit surprised when the memory of my final track meet crept make that slithered into my mind and stirred up uncomfortable thoughts of “I should have” and “if only”. I had pretty much buried that one deeply.

It was a lesson learned that I never got to use, or did I? I was so sure that I was going to break the 5-minute mile that day. This final meet of summer was going to be my last chance to accomplish my goal. I had been training for months, even paid a coach. I set a goal to run every day of the year and I stuck to it. I ran in snow storms, on icy roads in the dark with the temperature hovering around zero. The first time that I competed in the mile, I ran too conservatively and then turned it on at the end. This time was going to be different because I had a plan. I would hang behind our lead runner, Rita, and then on the last lap, would give it all that I had. Physically Ready + Plan = Victory, right? I was a lean running machine . . .

My running club’s arch enemy was the Springfield Harriers Running Club. Rumor had it that on hot days, their president would actually stumble and knock over tables with water cups on them so that other runners couldn’t hydrate.

The gun went off and I had a Harrier move in front of me in my lane and slow down. I thought, not a problem. I’ll just move into the next lane and pass her. I moved over. She moved over. I moved back. She moved back. I moved over two lanes. She moved over two lanes. As this was happening, I saw Rita pulling away. About halfway through the second lap, I had a temper tantrum. I pulled out three lanes and then ran fast and “furiously”. I was beyond mad. I passed everybody, even Rita.

I got halfway through the third lap and was ready to catch a taxi. My coach was screaming at me and pointing at his watch. I did not break 5 minutes. I don’t think that I broke 6 minutes. What a disaster!

I had spent so much time preparing physically, but I didn’t have much experience with these events and I didn’t know the rules. I thought people would run fairly and honestly. I was pretty sure that what this Harrier was doing was illegal, but I wasn’t 100% positive. I was thinking that it might be justified if I stepped on her shoe or bumped her. I later checked the rules . . .

USA Track and Field Competition Rules
Rule 163

4.  Any competitor or participant jostling, running across, or obstructing another competitor or participant so as to impede his or her progress shall be liable to disqualification in that event.

I can’t tell you how many times I would think about this day, beating myself up. If only I had waited patiently. . . I should have made my move as we passed in front of the spectators. . . I could have stepped on her shoe and run her over.

I never competed in the mile again, but sometimes lessons learned are a bit more subtle and may apply to other, unrelated events. What did I actually learn from this?

1. I make sure that I know the agreed upon rules – I manage the deliverables in the project charter – what is in scope, out of scope, what the project milestones are.  If there is a contract, I must be familiar with and understand its terms.  I need to help draft and follow the Communication Management Plan and Change Control Document.
2. I am reminded that people don’t always want to follow the rules.
3. I seek out subject matter experts and get advice.
4. I have learned to control my temper (most of the time).

So when I catch myself saying “I could have” “should have” or “would have”, I pay attention because I may have been presented with a lesson learned.