Saturday, January 28, 2012

An Accountability Partner

This Sunday, I will meet my running partner--correction--ACCOUNTABILITY partner, Bob, at 5am at Beverly Heights Park for our weekly 22- mile time trial up and down Lookout Mountain.  Our post run recovery will be two extra hot venti black coffees at the Starbucks in nearby Golden.  Then it's home in time to start coffees and waffles for our families that will be just waking up.

How is it possible to do this every weekend?

When I would rather stay in my warm bed.  When I would rather gulp down some steaming oatmeal instead of a PowerBar?

One word:  accountability.

Knowing that someone is waiting for me and counting on me to appear every cold, pre-dawn Sunday gives me the strength to consistently START what I know I wouldn't START on my own.

It forces me to dig deep, throw off the covers, get out of bed and BE ACCOUNTABLE.

But there is more.

An accountability partner reminds me that I won't be alone. 

I won't be facing the cold, the darkness, and the monster hills by myself.  There will be someone there to help me find the strength to put one foot in front of the other and FINISH the run.  FINISH what I start.  An accountability partner provides me the strength to FINISH what I know I wouldn't FINISH on my own.

It provides the strength to forge on.  Instead of turning back early, and heading for the blueberry pancakes at IHOP.  To BE ACCOUNTABLE.

But it get's better.

An accountability partner helps you discover new limits.

Last weekend, Bob and I encouraged a colleague from work to attempt a double run up Lookout Mountain with us.  He had only run it once--ever.  We encouraged him to break up the second attempt into 1-2 mile increments.  He stopped many times encouraging us to go on without him--so he could turn back.

We didn't go on without him.  And he didn't turn back.

That morning, our colleague successfully ran two times up Lookout Mountain.  More importantly, our colleague was taken to the far edge of his limits--or what he thought were his limits.  And LEAPED beyond.

Would he have completed this feat had he run alone that morning?  Perhaps. But  I would like to think that his success that morning was due to that unique energy that results from generous and grateful acts of  people bringing out the best in OTHERS. 

My Principles of Accounting students who form study groups--accountability partners--experience the same success in their studies as I have found on the trails.  A result of that unique energy reserved for those who encourage and help others.

I think we all need accountability partners.  In running, in school, at work...and in life.  To get us out of bed, to remind us we are not alone, and to help us move beyond our preconceived limits.

I just checked the weather. The forecast for Lookout Mountain at 5am this Sunday is 20 degrees and light snow flurries.  Perfect weather for running--if you aren't alone.

See you at 5am Bob.

AMJ

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