BOARD PERSPECTIVE
BY PETE MUCCIO , AAMD TREASURER
Born To Run : Lessons from the Road
I
started running when I was 4 years old . Running is big part of who I am and has influenced me in many ways and it continues to do so .
People will ask , “ Why do you do that ? That looks like no fun .” While others understand the pull of that early morning run that drags you out of bed and onto the open road , or trail .
Here is the little known fact that some people do not realize . We are all runners . We just take different paths , at different paces , and we are running different races . These are a few things , that have been shared with me , and that I picked up on the run , that apply to everything .
It Always Helps To Focus on The Road
You have to run you your race . It is important to keep focused ahead . Someone else ’ s does not control your outcome in the race , only you do .
Pace
It doesn ’ t matter how long the race is you have to have some sense of pacing yourself . Knowing the time , this becomes second nature after a while even without a watch . With practice you get to know yourself , know the pace that you want to set for the goal you are trying to achieve .
Planning
Planning is related to pace , as you have to go into a race or a run with a game plan . If you just approach it like , I hope I am going to survive this thing , when you are faced with an obstacle , it may just really just set you back without a plan to address it .
Running Uphill
There sure are a lots of hills in Colorado . When faced with a hill , there is a challenge for you to lean into and run through the hill . Tendency is face the challenge head on and power through it , when you crest the top you keep going . Of course when you go up hill , there is often a downhill .
Running Downhill
You can get going fast , If you get going fast , you might tumble if you don ’ t have your footing . Especially , if you are running down a sand hill . So while things may seem easy , don ’ t let them get away from you , but maintain control and awareness . Stick with the plan .
Failure
It is not a matter of when you fail , or fall . It really is a matter of how you respond and pick yourself up after the fall . I have fallen in races , I have gotten up and signed up for another race . I had to bail on that second marathon , my next step was to re-assess how did I get here and how do I avoid getting here again , and then sign up for the next race .
Weather
Be prepared , look at the forecast . Snow , Rain , Sun , doesn ’ t matter as long as you are prepared to deal with it .
Pass the Baton
Some races you cannot run alone . You have to hand things off to a team member . When doing a relay you have to know your teammates , know the strengths of who starts strong , who can close the gap if there is one , and who can maintain the lead . Knowing your teams strengths put you in a position to win .
Help others succeed
My good friend did an an obstacle race with me , when I talked to him about it the first thing he remembered was when he got stuck in a tube he was being yelled at by a woman that sounded like a drill sergeant and needed a hand getting out . I stopped and turned around to pull him out of the tube and we went on to finish the race .
What is Next ? To me it is not just what you did in the past , the run is about the preparation for the next event , the next day , it is looking ahead .
Peter Muccio is the Senior Associate Attorney at Tschetter Sulzer , P . C .
6 | TRENDS MARCH 2023 www . aamdhq . org