It’s a Tuesday night in November and I’m in my gym standing across from Meagan, who’s using her 2 minute rest in between her sets of back squats to tell me all of the reasons why she can’t, won’t, and doesn’t want to sign up for an 8 mile trail race in February. I’m reminded that there’s no one more creative than a client who doesn’t want to do something. It’s like we’re on a game show, and she’s trying to come up with every possible way of saying “no” before the clock runs out.
I understand her surprise and resistance at my suggestion to sign up because when she hired me as her coach 6 months earlier, it was to help her learn how to lift and get stronger, not to start running. But what she didn’t know when she hired me then was that I’m not just an expert at writing great programs, I’m also an expert at spotting great potential.
Meagan and I have found ourselves in this 2 minute stand-off because she can’t see what I can see. She can’t see herself doing the race because she’s solely focused on the physical ability she doesn’t yet have. I can see everything else she does have - work ethic, tenacity, a calm and composed approach to navigating challenges, an inclination toward positivity and gratitude, and a love for the outdoors - that will lead her to attaining the physical ability, finishing the race, and thriving within the sport.
It’s 3 months later on a Sunday morning in February and I’m once again standing across from Meagan, except this time she’s surprising the sh*t out of herself as she lines up at the start line of her first ever trail race. 1 hour and 37 minutes later, I’m cheering her on as she’s cruising across the finish line having the time of her life and looking like she’s been doing the sport for years. Finally seeing in herself what I had been seeing, that 1 trail race led to 5 more over the next year and a half - 3 of which were ultramarathons.
While most people think that the purpose of hiring a coach is just to help them reach their goals, I’ve found that more often than not my purpose is actually to help people reach beyond their goals. To help them see what they can’t yet see in themselves, to illuminate possibility, and to be their guide on a path they never could have dreamed up on their own.
What unexpected path could be waiting for you? Go to https://wilddogathletics.com/join-the-pack to take the first step and find out!
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