| Sometimes amazing life lessons can come from | | | | "Wow," I said, "I could never run a marathon." |
| surprising sources. I'd like to share the story of one | | | | Mohammed softly replied, "Before today, you could |
| such watershed moment in my own life, one that still | | | | never run four miles." |
| helps keep me grounded at work 25 years later. I | | | | To this day, I can tell you exactly where we were in |
| moved to New York for work in March 1985 and by | | | | Central Park when Mohammed said this to me. You |
| that August, I had gained a lot of weight because I | | | | have to understand, I have never been athletic. When I |
| was eating pizza by the slice twice a day. (The | | | | was a kid and my mother told me to go outside and |
| culinary gods are groaning, but I am from upstate New | | | | play, I took my book outside and hid. Mohammed's |
| York where you have to buy the whole pizza; pizza | | | | simple sentence transformed the way I thought about |
| by the slice is magic!) I decided to start running, for the | | | | myself. He made me understand that what I am is up |
| obvious reasons. I joined the New York Road Runners | | | | to me. And never, on a steamy night in August in New |
| Club, which held group runs twice a week in Central | | | | York City, did I imagine I would learn such an important |
| Park, meeting on the east side at 90th Street. The | | | | lesson from such an unusual source. |
| leader of the group was a 50-year old man I'll call | | | | That night, I floated home, which was good because in |
| Mohammed; it was his responsibility to organize, by | | | | truth, I could hardly walk. From then on, I made one |
| distance and pace, everyone who showed up to run. | | | | seemingly simple change: I ran more slowly and as a |
| The main objective of the group run was to make | | | | result, was able to run increasingly longer distances, |
| sure all runners were safe; no runner ran in the park | | | | surprising even myself. Four months later, I ran a 30K |
| alone. | | | | (18.6 mile) race in Central Park and a year later, my |
| Mohammed, seeing I was new, asked me how far I | | | | first of four marathons. I went from a kid hiding outside |
| was running. | | | | to read my book to an adult who could run really, really |
| "Two miles," I said. The farthest I had ever run in my | | | | slow marathons. |
| life was a mile and a half, so two would be a stretch. | | | | With a simple instruction-"run slower"-Mohammed |
| "The shortest distance is four miles; I'll run with you and | | | | significantly changed my thinking and my behavior. I |
| you will be fine," promised Mohammed. | | | | was never going to run a competitive marathon-I |
| I didn't object, but I was certain I would drop out after | | | | changed my outlook, not my chubby, non-athletic |
| two miles. What was he going to do, drag me around | | | | body-but I didn't need to run competitively, just running |
| the park? Within minutes of starting our run, I was | | | | a marathon was enough. I didn't have to win the race: I |
| panting and my head felt like an overripe tomato, | | | | accepted that doing my personal best was more than |
| ready to explode. | | | | enough because I was only doing this for me, not for |
| "Slow down," cautioned Mohammed, "no wonder you | | | | anyone else. |
| can only run two miles, you're running too fast." | | | | These two lessons, "run slower" and "you are what |
| We slowed down and while my pulse was still in the | | | | you believe you are," were immediately relevant to my |
| upper triple digits, I was able to keep running. We | | | | work. They eliminated barriers that I had imposed on |
| crossed to the west side of the park, and I realized I | | | | myself. I tried new things at work I would not have |
| would have to run the whole distance to get home. | | | | tried before. I learned to pace myself and not work at |
| Tricked! I accepted my fate, but now I needed a | | | | a speed that added stress to the tasks at hand. |
| distraction from my pain and misery, so I tried to get | | | | Mohammed was simply teaching me how to run |
| Mohammed to talk about himself. | | | | longer distances, but in truth, his impact went well |
| "What do you do Mohammed?" I panted. | | | | beyond the four-mile loop in Central Park. I believe we |
| "I am a night security man at a bank in Harlem and I | | | | all have our Mohammeds who can take us by the |
| help people train for marathons," he said, clearly not out | | | | hand and guide us through the marathons in both work |
| of breath. | | | | and our life. |