Trial Runs

Tracy Chamberlain Higginbotham - “Try A Tri” Training - 1 mile run timed at 15 minutes.

The weekend long runs leading up to the Boston Marathon were trial periods as well as training runs for me.  It’s impossible to think you can do something physically, like running a marathon, by just thinking you can; instead you need to prove to yourself you can.

It isn’t so different in entrepreneurship when the idea to start a business, grow it successfully, and reap in the profits can be dreamed about, but not realized unless you test run the idea through a business plan, with advisors, and tweaking the specifics of the plan a year into running it. What we envision isn’t always what we face when we begin and try.

3 miles in 15 minutes was the biking time for today’s trial

As I jumped on my bike in 35 degrees, cool, sunny, but very windy conditions this Saturday to test a combination biking and running sequence before next week’s first ever mini-triathlon, I knew I had to try my hardest while timing myself in 15-minute increments to see the mileage I biked and ran individually for some comparison for myself for the upcoming race. I bike. I run. I don’t bike and then run after each other, so it was a test.

Since the mini triathlon is based on timing and not distance since it was a created event by RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) to give people a taste of what a triathlon is like, I needed to put the sports back-to-back to see how my body responded. Since my pool is closed this time of year due to snow, the 15-minute swim portion will be a mystery until I get in their pool. As a long time swimmer, I know I can do it but adding a third and different sport to the other two might test me a bit but, I’m ready.

No training for the swim portion of the Triathlon with the pool closed!

When I think back to launching my two company websites in a span of ten years, I remember needing to have the websites tested before they went live. I invited friends and business associates to “test” it out and tell me what they thought. I ended up tweaking the pages based on their experiences.

Similar to today when I only ran 1 mile in 15 minutes, I know to improve my distance for the event, I need to run more 1-milers this week to get more speed down. I wouldn’t have had that feeling if I waited until the actual event to see I needed more training in the run portion of the event.

Even though I’m not going for a medal (or am I for my age group at least?), it is still wise to put in the miles, tests, and trails to get a sense of where you stand, what you need to improve, and to help guide you the day of the event or launch. When you put in the miles, your mind knows you’ve done your best to prepare for what is ahead. It is then only up to you to do your best and succeed. Wish me luck next week!  

Cheerleading - 1977

Rome Free Academy Cheerleaders, Rome, NY

I entered the smelling gymnasium one day after ninth period class ended. Other semi-confident, exuberant teenage girls, gathered with me. Leaning against the front walls were the most popular girls in school – the cheerleaders. With orange or black bows in their pig tails reflecting school colors, short pleated skirts around small waists showing skinny legs, and white blouses with differing sizes of breasts, some of them popping open since most cheerleaders were generally well-developed girls. One of them chewed her gum loudly, cracking it as if she was replicating the whip she’d use to get us all in order shortly.

Being a dyslexic right/left direction girl, I knew I could be in trouble replicating jumps, kicks, dances, and other fast-paced movements since our cheerleading instructors were facing us while teaching them. As an honor society student, I was pretty confident I could recite the simple cheer sentences which last time I checked hasn’t changed in four decades. Why is that?

After a few takes, it was time to be called up in a group of six to try out for the team – which meant perfecting the moves and basically screaming loudly. Oh, I could scream but could I jump and remember to reverse my moves mentally? Distinctively I remember I couldn’t, I simply couldn’t. Embarrassed because I was a pretty good athlete, I slouched my way back and leaned against the cold gymnasium wall waiting for my name to be called for the cheerleading squad.

To my dismay, but not quite shock, my name wasn’t called and instantly, only in a 13-year-old-girl’s mind, I thought, “I really didn’t want to be a cheerleader anyways!” I turned my nose up, walked out the gym door with my head held high, shoulders back, big breasts obviously-not a selling point in this case-aiming forward, and left my only attempt at becoming a cheerleader behind.

But what I realized soon after and during the rest of my athletic career was the fact; I rather preferred cheering on my own swim or track teammates, more than yelling for good-looking football or basketball players anyways. I loved mentally lifting up and helping my girlfriends more than boys who already received enough accolades and attention thrust upon them in the mid-seventies.

I believe failing at making the cheerleading squad might have sparked my feminist spirit so for that I’m personally and professionally grateful. “Go, Women!” I cheer loud and proudly with my white blouse now pink to represent females of all sizes, shapes, sexual preferences, occupations, and skin color because they are my favorite people.