1. All the nervousness and uncertainty combined to create an energy for me on the streets of Salt Lake City. I had already accomplished one leg of the marathon. I was there and I would run.

   LESSON: Give yourself opportunities to excel.

2. With the help of the Internet, I had a good idea of what the marathon course would be like. It even had a virtual tour of all 26.2 miles like you were racing in a car from start to finish. With a great description and printed maps, I knew what was ahead.

   LESSON: Odds of success increase as you study the course and prepare for its challenges.

3. The day before the race, I went for a short run and found the location of the finish line. There were many times throughout the race that I pictured that final stretch of road and visualized crossing the finish line.

   LESSON: Begin with a clear picture of the goal.

4. As I prepared to leave my hotel room, I hesitated and picked up my cell phone. It wouldn't hurt to have it along. Fortunately, I realized that packing a cell phone only provided a way out. The phone stayed behind.

   LESSON: Recognize and resist the easy way out.

5. Gathering at the starting line with thousands of others is an amazing experience. As I looked around at all of those people, I knew each had a reason to be there and each reason was just as important as the next.

   LESSON: Appreciate the individuals that surround you.

6. I was impressed with a smile and look I received from a friend about to start her first marathon. The look was of sheer determination and the sweet smile said, "See ya later, Jim," as she pulled away from the starting line. I know I will remember and draw from that moment many times in the future.

   LESSON: Be inspired by the determination of others.

7. All of us mentioned after the race how much we loved "high fivin'" the little children's hands along the way. We were energized by their excitement.

   LESSON: Learn from the enthusiasm of youth.

8. At every mile marker, there was a colorful banner that you could spot from quite a distance. Those banners became welcome friends showing accomplishment, progress and proof that I was getting a little closer to my ultimate goal.

   LESSON: Measuring growth and accomplishment keeps you moving toward the goal.

9. The mountains in Salt Lake City are magnificent and the beauty literally surrounds you. I had asked several locals before the race if they still notice the mountains and most said they take them for granted. I knew the awesome view would inspire my run.

   LESSON: Let nature add dimension to your life and enjoy the beauty that's around you.

10. Pain is part of running a marathon and so is controlling your thoughts. Sometimes the two cross and you wonder, "Is that pain in my leg or in my head?" Wherever it is, you have to get past it by taking one step at a time.

    LESSON: The mind and the body are amazing partners that work best together.

11. It felt so good to say "thanks" to all the older people standing in their driveways or on the street corners sharing fresh orange slices, homemade cookies, or cheers of encouragement. The bystanders are a huge part of a marathon and can be the difference between finishing or giving up.

    LESSON: Learn to say thanks to those that encourage you in life.

12. Whenever I considered quitting, I pictured the excitement and tears and screams of my wonderful wife as I crossed the finish line.

    LESSON: Vividly see the successful accomplishment of your goal.

13. I carefully planned what I would carry with me during the race. Taking care of myself at the right times with nourishment and first aid prevented injury and loss of strength.

    LESSON: Be prepared.

14. I truly had not properly trained for this marathon and had to adjust my mental strategy along the way. If I wanted to finish, I had to adjust and walk at different times.

    LESSON: We all have situations in life that we aren't prepared for and survival means an adjustment in strategy.

15. One of our friends trained for a half marathon. She reached her goal and left with the confidence and determination to try the full 26.2 next time.

    LESSON: Build on your successes.

16. This same lady said after the successful half race that she felt like she had sold herself short in her original goal. Whether she did or not, she learned a great lesson for the future.

    LESSON: Don't sell yourself short.

17. There's an interesting thing that happens when someone that looks completely out of shape or 20 pounds overweight or 15 years older than you passes and plods ahead to finish before you can even see the finish line. It can stop you in your tracks or motivate you to go further--a choice.

    LESSON: Learn from and be inspired by others' success.

18. I don't want to mislead anyone. It took me 5-1/2 hours to complete this marathon. That's 3-1/2 hours more than those that competed to win. When you spend that much time beating the pavement with nothing but your own thoughts, you had better learn to enjoy your own company.

    LESSON: Enjoy your own company

19. At about the 18th mile, when I thought I could go no further, I heard my old buddy Nick coaching me in the Boston Marathon 6 years ago. It wasn't Boston, but he was there with me saying, "Come on, Jim, you can run 8.2 miles. You've done it before."

    LESSON: Remember the wisdom of your mentors.

20. I'm sure I would have never been running in Salt Lake City this past weekend without the prompting, planning and follow through of my friends. Not only did they get me there, we had a blast together.

    LESSON: We dare more and accomplish more as a team.

21. If you know many runners, you'll notice that we get pretty attached to our running watches. Throughout training, it helps you measure your success and, in a marathon, it keeps you on track. Measuring each mile against a standard makes a game out of it for me.

    LESSON: Keeping score keeps it fun.

22. I've realized that many people on the sidelines were as inspired by the experience as those in the race. They actually were seeing things and learning things that the runners might have taken for granted (unless they wrote a newsletter right afterward).

    LESSON: Whether you are the participant or a keen observer, be sure you are where you want to be and making the most of the experience.

23. Although physical training is critical to what your body will experience in a marathon, I think the key factor to making it across the finish line is mental discipline.

    LESSON: Your thoughts can be your worst enemy or greatest ally in everything you do.

24. 26.2 miles is quite a sobering number no matter who you are or what your experiences might be. A 1-mile race 26 times, however, is much more doable and that's how I decided to approach it.

    LESSON: Break a big project into doable pieces.

25. Can you believe that at about the 17-mile point I was actually thinking about what I would do differently in the next marathon!

    LESSON: Know you'll run again, sell again, love again, try again!

26. The first words out of my mouth when I was greeted by my wife were, "That was fun!" It wasn't just the finish with its cheers and recognition. It was the entire mental and physical journey that all came together as an awesome experience.

    LESSON: When you reach a goal, all the painful, challenging, exhilarating, frustrating, exciting steps along the way fall into one satisfying memory.

What if a blister, a leg cramp, a lousy thought or a handy cell phone had ended my marathon before the predetermined finish? I surely would have learned a different batch of lessons and missed the satisfaction of making it across that line.

LESSON: DON'T QUIT!

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."
- Oprah Winfrey

"Bid me run and I will strive with things impossible."
- William Shakespeare

"A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they're capable of understanding."
- Steve Prefontaine

"It is horrible, yet fascinating, this struggle between a set purpose and an utterly exhausted frame."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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If you want to learn more about the power of PEOPLE SOLUTIONS THAT DRIVE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE, contact:

JP Horizons Inc.
P. O. Box 2039
Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 352-8211
Fax: (800) 715-8326
e-mail: jim@jphorizons.com
web site: www.jphorizons.com