It never fails, when a group of people get together for any sport or outdoor activity, it usually turns into a competition. Even something as laid back as a scenic hike gets turned into a contest to see who gets to the top or end first. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’m typically one of the instigators or competitors. The observation was verified when my local hiking club scheduled their own Hiker Race-off to see who’s the fastest hiker in the club. This surprised me since most clubs tend to play conservatively to avoid anyone getting hurt or from wanting to focus more on fun instead of racing. With that being said, I’m looking forward to the challenge – you bet I’m in it to win it!
With all of the attention on the upcoming event, some of my fellow hikers have put pressure on me to win it all. Although I like the support, now I feel the need to train that much harder to not disappoint. This leads to my original point that it’s more important to play well than it is to win. Trust me, I’ll be doing everything possible to win but not at the risk of injury or offending others. The trash-talk has started which only fuels my drive to beat that person, but I still know my limits and that my goal is to just do my best.
I’ll be sure to post an update on how I do and how well the event unfolds. Hopefully, you’ll see me on the top step of the podium – well, holding my generic 1st place blue ribbon. But if I don’t win, I know I’ll have plenty to report on how hard it was but how much fun I had. Yes, it truly isn’t whether I win or lose but how I play the game.
