The Perseverists

An episode of the The Stubborn Tortoise podcast, hosted by Donna Pazdera, titled "The Perseverists" was published on September 28, 2020 and runs 27 minutes.

September 28, 2020 ·27m · The Stubborn Tortoise

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Summary

Part of the fun of volunteering at trail races is watching other runners persevere despite the suffering they endure. On Saturday, I saw a few people struggle through their races at the Texas Trail Running Festival. A few puked. But they picked themselves up and kept going to the finish. One guy was determined to quit and was ready. Then he sat in a chair, had a gel and some cold water. He stood up, looked me in the eye and said, "You know what? I'm finishing this thing." He had 3 miles left in a marathon. My favorite finisher was Kelly, a friend from the Rio Grande Valley. She was doing her first marathon. She is in her early 60s and isn't fast. She knew it would take her a while. With each loop, she grew more determined to finish.  Watching people persevere with grit and grace inspires me as I approach the remaining races of 2020. I will hang onto those lessons and channel the strength of those I saw this weekend. Photo: Social-distance selfie: Kelly Cunningham, PJ Izaguirre and me.

Episode Description

Part of the fun of volunteering at trail races is watching other runners persevere despite the suffering they endure.

On Saturday, I saw a few people struggle through their races at the Texas Trail Running Festival. A few puked. But they picked themselves up and kept going to the finish. One guy was determined to quit and was ready. Then he sat in a chair, had a gel and some cold water. He stood up, looked me in the eye and said, "You know what? I'm finishing this thing." He had 3 miles left in a marathon.

My favorite finisher was Kelly, a friend from the Rio Grande Valley. She was doing her first marathon. She is in her early 60s and isn't fast. She knew it would take her a while. With each loop, she grew more determined to finish.

Watching people persevere with grit and grace inspires me as I approach the remaining races of 2020. I will hang onto those lessons and channel the strength of those I saw this weekend.

Photo: Social-distance selfie: Kelly Cunningham, PJ Izaguirre and me.