This past weekend, I traveled with a team of friends to southern Illinois to participate in an event called the River to River Relay. 8 runners, 3 legs each, 80 miles, and lots of hills – We ran from the Mississippi River to the Ohio River. We formed our current team 5 years ago, and this year we set our personal record: not only did we finish in under 12 hours (11:44), we also finished before dark!

The whole River to River experience is a perfect example of teamwork. We started with the basic tasks of registering the team, renting the van, organizing who is bringing what food, and reserving hotel rooms.

But the real teamwork was much more meaningful. We cheered each other on at each transition, made sure each runner had exactly what they needed before and after their legs, and celebrated our victory as a team. Our individual leg times were unimportant in the big scheme of things – what mattered was that we were a team and that we each contributed to our overall personal record.

Rarely does anyone achieve any meaningful success on their own. It takes the help of others not only to accomplish our goals, but also to make them worthwhile.

A huge thanks and congratulations to Lori, Joan, Kathy, Jane, Rob, Pat, and Ken. I’m ready for next year!