It was a late Friday night early in September 2010. As usual I was lying awake, in bed, iPhone in hand, scrolling through the Twitterfeed, when I saw the tweet from the renowned photographer Jeremy Cowart asking how he could find the motivation to get back to running. I don’t know Jeremy personally, but I can tell you that by nature of watching his career in 140 characters over the last few years he is not one to lack motivation. He has photographed all types of celebrities in beautiful mysterious ways. He created and successfully launched a mission field for photographers called Help Portrait. He is always on the lookout to push himself to give more, think more and find more ways to use his camera to tell God’s story of love, hope, and the dire need for Christians to show compassion.
He’s one of those wildly creative types that can take a mustard seed of an idea, hand it to God and boom! Something phenomenal happens. It’s inspiring to watch.
I want to be like that.
So when a person like this asks about motivation, what do I do?
I tweeted him a response to his inquiry. While others were tweeting him apps to use to assist his triumphant return, I responded in essence.
“Tomorrow morning, remind yourself that the average person is not up and running. Then, remind yourself - you don’t settle for average.”
As I typed it, I knew it was a dangerous tweet. Not because of what Cowart might respond, if he responded at all. ( He did and it was completely gracious)
It was dangerous, because it was the statement I needed to hear most. I needed to get myself back in gear professionally, physically.
I needed to remind myself I don’t settle for average.
The next morning I woke up. Downloaded the Couch 2 5k app on my phone ( as recommended by hundreds of Cowart’s twitter followers), I laced up my shoes and set out the door.
What in the world? I am not a runner.
A month later, I was enjoying a lovely dinner with great girlfriends. Maybe the wine got to my head, because for some odd reason I disclosed that I had been attempting to be a runner. I thought they would laugh. Apparently, the wine had gotten to them, too. Before we left dinner that night, the four of us had formed TEAM FANCY
( Why “fancy”? It was inspired by the name I had given to the new white Macbook we acquired in the Junior League while I served as president. Because of course, I wanted the videos and presentations for general meetings to be …FANCY. And, ok, it may have a little to do with a Reba McEntire song, too)
That night, Team Fancy set goals of two finish lines to cross…a 5k just 8 weeks away and the 4 person relay team for the Little Rock Marathon in March 2011.
Weeks of training together. Afternoon runs. Laughs. Guess what. We did it. We accomplished our goals. And I was somewhat, kinda, maybe a runner.
The four of us must have made running look easy or fun. By May 2011, two more of our friends joined the ranks of Team Fancy. More 5k finish lines crossed.
Our group training runs aren’t as formal as they used to be. Team Fancy has had a busy and challenging year. A few of us accepted new jobs. A few of the kiddos are in new schools. Each of us have at least 2 volunteer projects ongoing at all times, because Junior League made us that way. One sweet teammate lost her mom, but in God’s grace she is the same teammate who welcomed a precious baby boy. Despite the life changes, I can assure you, now if there is a major race in Little Rock, you will find at least 2 of these ladies amongst the competitors.
This weekend 4 of us ran the Little Rock 5k. The other two fierce ladies ran the 1/2 marathon. I’m so proud of us.
I love these ladies so much. They are tough competitors. But they are the best type of competitors. They are gracious competitors. For a group of 6 women, we aren’t snarky. We encourage.
We don’t compete against each other. We do fiercely compete against our own individual selves. We’re there for each other.
These women make me want to be a better athlete.
More than that, they make me want to a better wife, a better employee, a better Christ follower, a better daughter, a better volunteer, and a better friend.
They have blessed me far beyond what I anticipated with that tweet I typed 18 months ago. I set out that September Saturday morning reminding myself I wanted to be better than average.
With these ladies by my side, I am.
We’re not just better than average.
We’re fancy.
Beth, Courtney, Julia, Mandy, Tammie – I love you, girls.
xxoo,
boots
by boots
no comments
add a comment link to this post email a friend