Tactical

I fessed up to my class yesterday. The Monday 2045 class demographic is a complete opposite of my usual 0530 class. I suppose this is to be expected. My ‘get it done before dawn’ sessions contain a testosterone element that cannot be ignored. The Navy Seals of the local work force cramming their only available free time into fitness training. They have real jobs, real families and real responsibilities. I owe them the same respect they entrust to me, as they come for work, and they work hard. The later in the day, relaxed and casual crew, conducted at an hour when many are already well into their work day, celebrates with estrogen more than the male hormone. There was a time when I didn’t much appreciate the difference, but no more. 

When I opened up to them, I forget the narrative flow, that as I will never be a parent and experience  those joys, sorrows, concerns and appreciations, I got as close as, perhaps, I ever will get to feeling pride in an child’s success. That got their attention. 

I shared the immense emotional connection I had the prior day with three of the athletes that I coach as they stood, medals dangling around necks, on the finishers podium. Yes, it was a small local event, between 6 and 18 miles of mountain bike racing in the mud, but the experience, all the time and effort put into training and race preparation, paying off with the dividend of success and the rousing adoration of fellow competitors, was very moving. I did feel like a proud father watching his son trot around the bases after a two-run dinger. 

But is was more than that, and I could tell from the initial response of the class that a deeper, more important lesson, was available if the digging went deep enough. So I dug.

Here me on this gang, it is not the winning, the few steps to the podium and the applause from the field. It is not points, awards, T-shirts, qualifications or winning your age group or category.

IT IS THE FOCUSED EFFORT, YOUR ZEAL AND THE JOURNEY THAT MAKES IT REAL.

I could see that the ladies were pondering this heresy as we began another set, while the men, both of them retired, gave quick consideration and nodded in approval. Editors note: Every man, having qualified for retirement status, appreciates the part attitude plays when the path turns steep. 

The cross-application between kids, competition, success, experience, winning and losing and the overall quality of life enhancements that naturally and organically follow, is the point. That is the goal. To experience and to grow. To get better. At everything, making everything we do, knowing this, tactical. How do we accomplish the thing we have set as goal? While we may not be SEALS, we can train with their zeal and use their code to improve our own. 

Here, now, we have one mission, climb this hill. 

SEAL Code:

• Loyalty to Country, Team and Teammate

• Serve with Honor and Integrity On and Off the Battlefield

• Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit

• Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates

• Excel as Warriors through Discipline and Innovation

• Train for War, Fight to Win, Defeat our Nation’s Enemies

• Earn your Trident everyday