Lessons From Boston Marathon Winner Meb Keflezighi
Meb Keflezighi at the 2006 Boston Marathon. (Photo: Ethan Bagley/Flickr)
Back in 2009 when “Run, Karla, Run!” debuted, one of my very first posts was about Meb Keflezighi’s historic win at the New York City Marathon—Keflezighi’s Win: An American Marathon Renaissance?
On April 21, he did it again by becoming the first American Boston Marathon winner in 30 years. Even more amazing? He won at the age of 38 and in personal record time of 2:08:37.
Keflezighi is without question the U.S.’s best distance runner on the roads today. With an Olympic marathon silver medal and New York City and Boston Marathon titles to his name, he enters an elite group of American runners known as “the greatest.” Even Frank Shorter, the 1972 Olympic marathon gold medalist and 1976 Olympic marathon silver medalist, said it during the Boston Marathon wrap-up show on Universal Sports: “If there is a club, welcome to it!”
But we mere mortals can learn a thing or two from Marathon Meb. Here’s what comes to mind.
Meb Keflezighi at the 2013 New York City Marathon. (Photo: ccho/Flickr)
1) The big 30 isn’t old. Neither, it seems, is 40.
So many people think the end is nigh once your age no longer begins with a “2.” I’m as guilty as the next runner, wringing my hands at what feels like the inevitable decline now that my age starts with a “3.”
So it’s refreshing and inspiring to see a runner like Meb, just two weeks from his 39th birthday, becoming the Boston Marathon winner, running not just the best time of his life, but the best time in a field of younger guys.
Lesson? You’re only as old as you think you are. Being young at heart pays and, yes, 40 is the new 30.
2) Being the fastest runner doesn’t always matter. But being the smartest does.
Meb Keflezighi is rarely the fastest man in the field. In the 2014 Boston Marathon, no fewer than 14 men had personal best times speedier than Meb, some fully 5 minutes quicker. Read the rest of this entry →
