Why Runners Are Great

A while back, Tom on The Running Lounge had a post related to runners and Human Resources. If I recall it correctly, I remember the post referring to how, in a nutshell, runners make great employees.

As I embark into the scary world of Monsters, Headhunters, and CareerBuilders, I keep finding myself thinking back on that post and relating it to me. I have noticed many positive qualities that I believe make runners valuable employees (both ones that I may have made up and ones that others have confirmed). The trick is trying to decide if these qualities come from being a runner, or if we are runners because we possess these qualities.

As a runner, the first thing I tend to do when making a connection or good first impression is hope and pray the other person is a fellow runner, and find the first opportunity to sneak a clue in that only another fellow runner could pick up. I hate blatant facts, and I’m not one to walk in and say “Hi, I’m Maggie and I run obsessively.” Rather, I’ll wait and jump on the first chance to slide that in. I have had this opportunity at many tradeshows, events, and association meetings, and have experienced everything from the glorious, instant connection when the other person responds with “I run, too! How far do you run?” clear down to the polar opposite, where the other person glazes over and comments “Why someone would do that is beyond me” or “How fast do you run? Even I can run an 8:00/minute mile.”

Runners tend to be a determined folk. They understand the importance of goal setting, and reaching multiple mini-goals before the big final goal. They can appreciate the tenacity of pushing through a grueling task, and understand the need to do so. They know there is a place and a time to sit down and cry and doubt everything from the goal at hand to your sanity, and that’s okay, but after a few minutes they understand that you pick yourself back up and keep going. And they have experienced the intense thrill of the final big race day, and knowing all your hard work was worth it and they return a few days later, ready to do it all over again. And they are the first people to question why something isn’t possible…as Ted likes to say about me, “The best way to get Maggie to do something is tell her she can’t.”

At the risk of being extremely stereotypical in such a politically correct world, I’m going to say that I believe runners do make great employees. But I’m going to take it a step further. I believe runners make great civic servants. I believe runners make great committee volunteers. I believe runners make great youth leaders. I believe runners can improve the world and make great examples. And I’ve been keeping that in mind as I hunt for the next chapter in my life, hoping I can relate my running experience to a possible good fit in the career place.

The Best-Laid Plans.

I have held a driver’s license for 12 years. In those 12 years of driving, I have one speeding ticket to my name. My record is squeaky clean. No accidents. I’ve never even so much as been in an accident.

Until today.

My commute to work is only about 15 miles, but it is full of lights and traffic. Obviously, the earlier I leave, the better off I am.

Today’s plan was to leave very early. I had hoped to be at work by 7:30, get a lot accomplished and out the door by 4:00. I would scurry home, change, and run six miles, ending at Ted’s office in time to ride home with him. This was all so I could get home and hunker down in lieu of the pending snowstorm we are supposedly to get.

Then I get rear-ended. By a suspended-licensed driver who isn’t driving her car and, at the time of this posting, has yet to submit insurance information to the police (we kind of all know where this is going, right?).

Visually, her car was much worse off. It was obviously totaled, compared to my chipped bumper and mangled muffler…I could still drive mine (although it did hit “hot rod” status quickly with the muffler now trash).

However, according to the insurance adjuster, the car isn’t legal to be driven, so for up to $25/day, my insurance company will cover a rental. $25/day doesn’t get you much at all. But it runs.

Needless to say, my nice long run is out of the picture. With each minute that pass, my back and neck feel tighter and stiffer, and I’m just not sure a long run would be as “nice” as I want it to be.

So, moral of the story is…run before leaving for work in the morning, drive carefully, and if your license is suspended…don't drive.

How to Add to Office Whispers.

I am happy to report that seven weeks into 2008, I am still right on track with running at least a mile every day. The jury is still out on how it will ultimately effect my running (my miles have never been so fast; but my long runs have never been so hard). However, I am doing it and I will continue to do it for the remaining 45 weeks. Because that is what I said I would do.

With that pep talk out of the way, the resolution has forced me to be creative about the time I find to run. Some days are obviously easier than others. Other days require me to slip a mile run in somewhere and just bathe in deodorant and perfume upon my return—just in time for my afternoon meetings.

I work for an office that doesn’t necessarily care if you select a healthy lifestyle. Some companies reward employees with on-site showers, insurance discounts, gym memberships, so on and so on.

My company took the on-site showers and expanded the men’s restroom. And the last thing the HR secretary ever told me (before they laid her off) was “I don’t know” to my question on if our health insurance provided a gym membership discount.

With all that said, you can imagine the whispers and stares I’m sure I probably get as I sprint down the hallway and through the parking lot to my car in my little running tights, cursing that I forgot at least a baggy sweatshirt that day.

Yes, my “When can I run?” runs are currently being held over lunch. I drive to a local park, run a mile around a block in the area, and drive back. Upon my return, I quickly shuffle my way back into the bathroom, bathe with a number of baby wipes and deodorant, spritz and sprtiz with perfume, then calmly walk my still-sweaty self back to my office, where I plug in my hair straightener, fetch my lunch, and complete my pre-run appearance.

No one has ever said anything about my lunchtime jaunt, although I can only imagine what the employees are all talking about, especially those that walk into the ladies room to see a sock laying on the floor, or underwear peeking out from a bag, with me quickly changing inside the stall, half the time falling over into the walls, and once terrified because I almost accidentally flushed my iPod.

(Editor’s Note: Best Luck Marcus, on Sunday’s Ugly Mudder Trail Run. I saw the “steps” on the race course were condemned by the city of Reading…therefore, I think Ron Horn said there’s another bushwacker hill to climb…good luck and um…have fun?)

Is Green the new Black?

It seems that everyone is going “green”. Our church impliments green initiatives wherever possible. Recycling is now the cool thing to do, and Dave seems to think if he leaves his cell phone charger plugged in, he is single-handedly ruining the environment (yet will leave his TV and lights on all night long). Styrofoam is becoming the new profanity, and I can now say I love to shop at thrift stores with pride—because instead of being cheap, I’m now being “environmentally conscious”.

It’s not a surprise, then, that I saw the running community heading in the same direction, with The Greenteam, runners who also want to make a difference and save the plant. I believe in saving the environment. I’m not as gung-ho as I probably should be—I’m a bit more cynical and tend to question how I am making a difference by the small decisions I make, but I do try to make an honest effort where I can, and when asked should we save the planet or let it crumble, I'm all for saving it. (With that said, I refuse to accept a paperless society; I will print everything three or four times and file it away in three or four places, according to subject, date, recipient, etc.) But I do understand the importance of not being stupid, so I decided to check out the site and see what it was all about.

Basically, it is a microsite from Runner’s World, and gives runners the options for organic nutritional bars and recipes, and spins off on basic running advice (training plans, shoe guides, etc). The most interesting part of it, however, was the section on “Green Races” (and I didn’t think they were referring to the St. Patty’s Day marathon, but turns out that one is considered a “Green Race”…quite fitting).

So what makes a race “Green”? Running is already one of the most environmentally-friendly activities—it requires very little financially, there is no extra electricity or power required, no gas or diesel, and limited garbage (shame on anyone tossing their gel wrappers to the side of the road…oops, shame on Maggie).

To truly be a “Green Race”, initiatives include having recycling containers along the race course, organic T-shirts and food options, sustainable race bags (they make great options for carrying your groceries home), recycled paper for the flyers and entry forms, email versus postal whenever possible, and bike police instead of pace cars.

It’s an interesting concept. And perhaps I should be a bit more aware of what I do—one of the biggest attractions for running is being outside. My favorite runs are on back roads in nature, or on trails. The quiet and solitude is terrific, and I would be the first to admit the horror of it should that all disappear one day. I will supplement my retirment one day by winning races in my age group (it's easy when there are two other 90 years olds), so I plan on running outside for quite a few more years (God willing). I’m also a big advocate of if you like it, support it. So maybe it’s time I stop being blind, stop telling myself one person change things, and step up and decide to help preserve nature so I can continue to enjoy it.