Working With A Margin of Difference

The deed is done – just two hours after the final slots of Borderline BQs (BQ-1: margin of one minute and less) were released. I have registered for Boston Marathon, and my fingers are crossed. Across the vast digital universe, hands are clasped in prayer for me – and I hope Intelligent Design is triggered. Boston Qualifiers will have a chance till end of the week to submit their entries. Those with faster qualifying times get a better chance of qualifying with the new, multi-tier, system.

This is my registration receipt, which does not represent the actual acceptance. The results for successful entrants will emerge shortly, so it is all about being patient, or nonchalant about it. Recall how excited you were with your examination results? Or not. Earning a BQ is a fist step worth celebrating, as it is a measure of your personal excellence. To qualify for the 2013 installment of this century-old long-distance course, all age groups will need to be five minutes faster. For me, that would mean going under 3:25:00 instead of the current 3:30:59.

In any which case (without jinxing it), I am primed to attempt another BQ on 4 December at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2011. I missed a BQ by 2 minutes at the Gold Coast Marathon in July. It is a humid and hotter marathon although no handicap points are awarded for finishers and qualifiers. You just stick to your guns and finish the race, as fast as you can, for as long as you can at that pace. Intuitive runners have suggested running by ‘feel’ (versus by instrument) and without a stopwatch.

Leadership Lessons: How well do you cope with margins (of difference)? How tolerant are you of others? When does your confidence buckle? How do you stay patient with others? How forgiving are you of others? What is your margin of error when it comes to standard of work? Our intuitive and learnt margins are our measure of preference, prejudices, discrimination and biases. Review them regularly.

Defining Yourself

My friend, Barney Tee wrote in his electronic signature, ‘The ride defines the run.’ How interestingly true. The regional haze situation has returned – twice in a year – and the air qualify varies everyday according to wind conditions and rainfall. The meteorological agency with the health agencies would then provide advisory on outdoor activities. This morning, it is a PSI index of 25: it is suitable for exercising outside.

The results for the mildly, haze-affected Mega-TRI Singapore were out yesterday evening. I was 15th in my age group, and 44th overall. As expected in my intuitive race (I did not refer to my watch after my swim leg), I had a moderate ride and decent run leg (in the second and third laps). I noticed that, generally, the stronger and faster riders ran much faster than the weaker ones; thus, my main focus for the next five months. What gives?

If you are strong on the ride, especially when hills and headwinds prevail then you may have more in the tank when you head out for your run segment. The transition from ride to run can be tough, and you take off with rubber legs.

The entry for the Boston Marathon 2012 opened on 12 September. I have to get ready on 19 September to register. According to the multi-tier system, those who are more than 20 minutes ahead of the qualifying times get to register in the first three days. If slots sell out, so be it and will be no more to offer. Those with 10 minutes margin and more, get the next three days to register. Borderlines cases of one minute and less will only get a chance (fastest fingers) to register on the last day (and beyond). If slots sell out before in the six preceding days, it will mean that the rest of us would need to qualify for the 2013 event beginning this month.

A Boston Qualifier (BQ) is just that. It is a qualifying time that provides an entry point into this Holy Grail of the world’s oldest marathon. Beginning 2013, all BQ times will need to be five minutes faster. Such is the allure of Boston and personal quest for athletic excellence. I earned a borderline (one minute buffer) BQ of 3:29:59 (at Hong Kong Marathon 2011), so the next attempt will have to be 3:24:59 and faster. I am confident of beating 3:25:00 already, and hope to do so at the Singapore Marathon on 4 December. I am hopeful of doing a sub-4:00 at Ironman New Zealand based on last Sunday’s 27K run splits.

Leadership Lessons: How do you define yourself in your resume? How have you redefined yourself in recent years? How do you continue to enhance your potential and capability?