The hard part is becoming...

“The hard part is becoming a runner. Not just a person who runs, but a runner... Somehow they had to stick with it through the transition from thinking ; “Will I run today?” to thinking; “When will I run today?” The race is inextricably intertwined with life. Family issues... “When will I run today?” Work issues... “When will I run today?” This is not like blocking out a day or weekend, and tolerating the discomfort for long enough to finish. This is taking your life and injecting a race into it with no end in sight.”

This is a quote from the great Laz Lake to the participants taking part in the Great Virtual Run Across Tennessee (GVRAT). A virtual event that Laz has instated this year to give runners something to do during these strange pandemic times. 

To some of you, Laz is the Race Director of the infamous Barkley Marathon. To those who don’t know him, another rather eccentric trail/ long distance/ ultra runner. You can catch his film The Barkely Marathons on Amazon Prime these days. 

I am personally taking part in this summer event because as a somewhat obsessed runner (and someone who is really just dipping their toe into the cultishness that running CAN be), I needed something to look forward to and motivate my butt to run with purpose. You all know I am a big fan of purpose. Quickly though as this isn't meant to be a blog about running, the GVRAT is a “1000km” point to point “race” across Tennessee. There are RATs and BATs being chased by Laz’s metaphorical buzzards to complete their chosen challenge by the end of August. The language and even the challenge itself (it’s actually 1021.68km) is all akin to the absurdity of the iconic Barkley Marathons; so when Laz created the event thinking maybe 1000 people would take part, he himself was overwhelmed by the over 18,000 entrants he received, most of whom were excited by the opportunity to actually take part in something created by this cult classic!

Moving on though, perhaps Laz is a better motivator than Race Director. This quote from early July and just over the halfway point resonated. I have identified as a “runner” rather than a “person who runs” in the past years; however, what resonated was the similarity in purpose to that of being an entrepreneur. In fact, my co-founder Christine has been known to quote to a similar sentiment:

“The thing I love the most about the entrepreneurial community is that it reminds me of the athletic community that I grew up in. The people are amazing. It’s not just about the outcome, it is that they are willing to try HARD at something that might well be impossible”- Christine Reimer, CEO Seven Summits Snacks.

So, I am an entrepreneur. 

I am an entrepreneur ?!

I AM an entrepreneur! 

I sometimes have to repeat that to myself, in that certain way you’re meant to proclaim your affirmations to make them stick. I then slightly tilt my head inquisitively and think- heck yeah I am! This is a bit of a surprise to me because I remember learning about entrepreneurs as a school-aged child thinking, “no thanks, that’s not for me”. Although, I think my Mom will also tell you that I used to hate running, too. 

Here is the bulk of Laz’s post from July 5th (with my stretch of interpretation).

Greatness: 

What they discovered was a race that was both easier and more difficult than they expected. And they discovered they had greatness in themselves that they did not know was there.

The hard part is becoming a runner (entrepreneur). Not just a person who runs (a business), but a runner (entrepreneur)… Somehow they had to stick with it through the transition from thinking ; “Will I run (my business) today?” to thinking; “When will I run (my business) today?” The race is inextricably intertwined with life. Family issues... “When will I run (my business) today?” Work issues... “When will I run (my business) today?” This is not like blocking out a day or weekend, and tolerating the discomfort for long enough to finish. This is taking your life and injecting a race (business) into it with no end in sight. 

...

Everyone of us has greatness inside. But, we have to call on it to discover it. When the race begins, the runner is the one who encounters the obstacles. They are the ones who must reach inside, for something they never knew was there.

-Gary Cantrell, aka “Laz”arus Lake, Race Director of the Barkely Marathons and GVRAT (yeah, he even gave himself a different name)

I am an entrepreneur. 

I have started my own chocolate company. 

This is real!

The race has begun! 

We, as Seven Summits Snacks, are now live and collecting pre-orders for the chocolates that we created as the power of three extremely driven women entrepreneurs through the ATB BoostR platform. Click here to buy our chocolates!

Everyday as an entrepreneur is now a hustle, and much like I decide how my life fits around running, I now also think about how running a start-up chocolate company fits within my run plans. 

Each day I am excited about the opportunity to be great in some way or another. Even if I am only just outrunning the buzzard, I’ve still pushed myself this year and at this point have run 85% of the distance I ran in all of 2019. 

Each day I am excited about the opportunity to be great in some way or another: I am selling my own chocolate bars!

Choose to be great in YOUR own way! Find a platform to enable you and surround yourself with people who are your cheerleaders and support you. You, too can be a runner… or perhaps more than the “person who…”.