She Almost Quit At Mile 6, But She Won the Boston Marathon

How She Won The Boston Marathon

Des Linden, she won the Boston Marathon, the most prestigious marathon in the world on her 6th attempt.

The conditions were shitty rough.

There were 30+ m/hr headwinds the entire race, complete downpour, and temperatures in the 30’s with windchill in the 20’s.

It was a day that exemplified Mental Toughness!!!

My JV soccer coach once told us that “bad weather equalizes out the competition.” He’s right.

It was the slowest winning time in the Boston Marathon for the men’s and women’s race in 40 years. Just check out the “no-names” of the finishers in 2nd through 6th!

Who the Heck Were Those Women in 2nd Through 6th at the Boston Marathon?

But, here’s how Des Linden, (who has tons of outside fans because of her talent and penchant for whiskey) won the race.

She said to herself at mile six “guess it’s not my day.” She didn’t feel it. Things need to go right on those days and it wasn’t…. At that moment.

Then, she focused on others. That’s how she won the Boston Marathon, by focusing on others! 

She told her friend and race favorite Shalane Flanagan that she was going to drop out, and Des asked Shalane if she could do anything to help her…

Shalane asked if she could go use the bathroom….

So, Des, held up and waited for her and together they joined back up with the lead pack.

By focusing on others, she got outside of her own head, her own issues, her own struggle and fatigue.

Then she got her second wind!

She won the Boston Marathon as a result from focusing on others… NO ONE Gets There ALONE. 

We simply cannot help out anyone else without ALSO helping ourselves. It’s just that focus on others goes contrary to the music and self-talk that we’ve been listening to our whole life…. Me, Me, Me.

Our next 30-day Mental Toughness Challenge begins at the beginning of the month.

Want to learn and apply the same recipe for success AND significance?

Check it out here… NO ONE Gets There ALONE- 30 Day Mental Toughness Challenge. 

Dr. Rob Bell is a Sport Psychology Coach. His company DRB & associates is based in Indianapolis.  Some clients have included: Indy Eleven, University of Notre Dame, Marriott, and Walgreens. Check out all the books on Mental Toughness