As one of the 25 largest marathons in the country, the Pittsburgh Marathon has a way of taking over the city the first weekend in May, with runners everywhere — similar to this month’s magazine.
The May edition has a feature story on the 2013 Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year Patrice Matamoros, executive director of Pittsburgh Three Rivers Marathon Inc., and a Uniquely Pittsburgh on the marathon itself.
At the same time, I’m in the middle of training to run my third Pittsburgh half-marathon, so I’ll admit it’s taking over my life as well.
I’ve got running on the brain, but so does Pittsburgh.
Building a running culture
Since the race rebooted in 2009, the running culture of Pittsburgh has grown along with it.
“Coming back in year one, we were hoping to get 5,000 runners,” Matamoros says. “Actually, we sold out at 10,500, and it was amazing for us to do that. But also, I think that it was indicative of what people in Pittsburgh wanted and needed, because there was a huge hole in running in Pittsburgh.”
Today, Pittsburgh police officers and EMS staff who meet with the marathon team on a monthly basis say they can’t believe how many runners they see on the city’s trails and streets.
Eighty percent of registered runners are from the state of Pennsylvania, and 38 percent of those are from Greater Pittsburgh.
In the first year, Matamoros says she and her team received calls from residents who were upset because the roads were closed, saying: “Who approved this marathon?” “When did this come about?”
Now, those calls have turned into: “How can we get involved?” “This changed my life. I’m a runner now because I saw people running by my house.”
Keeping the big picture at hand
I recently interviewed a financial planner who compared saving money to the discipline that’s required to go to the gym. It’s a matter of setting attainable goals and holding yourself accountable.
As someone who has a love/hate relationship with running, I can understand. I’m not one of those people who love to run. Instead, I love it best when I’m done — and it’s in my rearview mirror.
It takes discipline to train and run a half-marathon, just like it takes discipline and hard work to be successful in business.
For most of us, success isn’t easy. You need to put the time in, day after day, to get the reward at the end. It’s the little moments that add up. Every time I force myself outside to run in the cold, snow or rain, it eventually leads to a better finish time.
It’s hard, however, to see that far into the future.
To keep the “fun” part — the race itself — in front of me, I set small, attainable goals and remind myself by keeping a Pittsburgh Marathon magnet next to my running schedule on the refrigerator.
It’s important to do the same thing with your employees. In the day-to-day grind, it’s hard to see the larger picture. As the leader of the company, it’s part of your role to help everyone remember what you’re working for — and how far you’ve already come. ●
Jayne Gest is the associate editor at Smart Business Pittsburgh. Jayne is interested in the people and businesses making a difference in Pittsburgh. Reach her at [email protected] or (800) 988-4726, ext. 281.
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