What you should know about Desi Linden's Boston Marathon win...
Who had a chance to watch at least parts of the marathon yesterday?! Luckily, we have NBC Sports on SlingTV (FYI, this is an affiliate code) so I was able to stream it on my laptop all day. And I got to watch Desi Linden cross the finish line to be the first American to WIN Boston in 33 years! I’m sure it will surprise no one that I cried watching her break the tape...Every year when I watch Boston, I am always SO inspired not only by the Elite athletes, but every single person who runs Boston. I mean, the Boston Marathon is like the dream of so many runners out there and to finally reach that goal is just incredible! I love the stories behind the finishers, what they’ve battled to get there… there’s just no words!However, this year’s winner - Desi Linden - is something special. Her story, her character, everything about her as a person + a runner is SO inspiring. And I truly believe there is A LOT we can all learn from her.
Here are the 4 things you should take away from Desi Linden’s Boston Marathon win...
1. It’s never too late to live out your dream.
Y’all, Desi Linden is 34. She’s run Boston 6 times and came in second by 2 seconds back in 2011. She’s run 2 Olympic Marathons and yet had still not won a major marathon yet. Until today. She’s been working for this goal for YEARS and it finally paid off today. Maybe you’re thinking you haven’t achieved everything you’ve wanted to so far in life. But, now you have kids + a job and it just seems like that dream or that feeling of wanting something MORE simply is going to remain a dream. Friend, it’s NEVER too late to live out your dream! If you have goals + aspirations, I encourage you to pursue them! If you want to run Boston, but you feel like it can never happen, how will you know if you don’t try?! If you want to start running, START! If you want to start a business, what’s holding you back?! Figure it out! It’s NEVER too late to live out your dream!
2. Be a team player.
At one point in the race, Shalane Flanagan had to stop for a potty break. Desi slowed down and went back to check on Shalane and make sure she was OK. We later found out that she was also feeling bad at that point (literally 2-3 miles into the race), but was willing to sacrifice some of her goals to help out a friend and teammate. Now THAT’S being a team player.You NEED a community. You NEED a support system. But, you also need to be that team player. Help where you can or need to. Do what you can to inspire others to achieve their goals, to help them out. By helping others achieve their goals, you can work toward your goals as well.
3. People will question what you are doing.
The announcers were saying that Desi took the lead too soon. But, she took the lead and literally never looked back. I’m sure she probably thought the same thing, that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to get out in front at that point. But, she OWNED it. Maybe you have people telling you that your goals are too big. Or maybe you have people who are questioning whether or not your goals are achievable. Only YOU know what your dreams are and only YOU can be the person to achieve them. Don’t let someone else dim your light! Trust your instinct, be confident in what you are doing, and it will pay off.
4. You’re NEVER out of the race.
At one point, Desi was thinking she was going to have to drop out. At the point she was helping Shalane, she was also thinking that her race was over. Little did she know that helping her teammate was exactly what she was going to need to get her legs back into the race and come out on top. You WILL experience setbacks. You WILL experience challenging times. You WILL feel like you will never be able to achieve your goal. But, no matter how far back your goals feel, you’re NEVER out of the race. You never know what can happen. Prove to yourself that you have the endurance to win the race in the end.