Eagles: Declare Your Big Fitness Goal and Give Us Something to Cheer For

I wanted to share a personal journey I am on, thanks to my teams: Team Red, White & Blue and Team Mitchell. RWB’s Executive Director, Mike Erwin, and the leadership team, inspired by the wisdom of Jim Collins’ BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) and the benefits of chosen discomfort (Misogi), as popularized by Michael Easter in "The Comfort Crisis," threw down a challenge. Last winter, as I saw others in the RWB community setting and sharing their BFGs, I knew this was just what I needed.

Like many others, especially veterans post-service, I have had struggles with my health and fitness. Just over a year ago, I felt embarrassed about another period of regression. It’s disheartening to reach a certain level and then find yourself back at a starting point from the past or even behind it.

The silver lining of these starts and stops is having the wisdom to know you can come back. You can get to that line and beyond again. I’m grateful to have an inspiring community that gave me the motivation to get back on the line. They provided the right pressure to be accountable to myself, my family, and my team. After reflecting, I decided to set my sights on completing the Detroit Marathon.

During the training and while running the marathon, I was reminded how beneficial it is, not only for my physical well-being but also for my mental well-being, to have a significant struggle to overcome. There were moments of pain and setbacks along the way. Some days made me question if this was a good idea. There were times when I’d hobble to the car after a long Saturday run and be couch-bound the rest of the day. There were moments when I’d try to talk myself out of the challenge. It may seem counterintuitive to many, but I have felt firsthand that I just can’t be successful with lukewarm. My psyche needs a risk, especially in the era of the Comfort Crisis. For me, the wisdom of the Misogi makes sense. Our bodies and brains need us to be exposed to the life our DNA is coded for.

A new running friend, a Navy reservist I met at a local race because of my RWB red shirt (community!), advised me not to wait long after completing the marathon to decide what to do next. I was in full agreement! I always need a goalpost. So here we are again, the RWB Eagles have inspired me to do something that, at the time of writing, seems unthinkable: I have my sights set on the JFK 50-Miler this November. (Huge shoutout to Mary P., whose friendly quiet leadership has positively influenced many others into this crazy feat! Including RWB Chief of Staff Mike “Sully” Sullivan, who has completed the race numerous times and plans to boomerang run it!) (Side note: surround yourself with great people; I’ve been so lucky in this department).

As I prepare, I'm grateful for the support and inspiration of my team. There are members of RWB who run races over hundreds of miles, but there are others whose BFG is to just get off the couch. These BFGs are about scaring ourselves in a positive way, believing in ourselves, showing others that they can do it too, and cheering for them along the way.

I treasure the photo below taken by my wife’s teaching colleague (and my son’s former 1st-grade teacher!), Martina. Her husband was tackling the Detroit half marathon that day. My wife described the moment as a “core family memory.” I had just come out of the tunnel from Canada back into Detroit. Even though I was only just over 8 miles into the run, the energy of the crowd, and the love and excitement from my whole world (Nicole and the kids) was like a bolt of lightning. While my primary desire has truly shifted to being their biggest fans, I didn’t realize how important it was for me to give them a chance to cheer for me. The same holds true for the Eagles of Team Red, White & Blue: let’s keep giving each other something to cheer for.

I hope you set your own BFG, especially if you are feeling stuck like I was. More than anything, I hope you find your community of supporters. I’m glad I have mine. Lastly, if you are a veteran or veteran supporter, join us.

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