As I stood in the TSA Security Line this morning for my Monday morning flight to our Capitol, I saw a sea of San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon t-shirts draped on runners who participated in the race over the weekend. Weekend warriors proudly displaying their schwag to mark a great achievement.
It got me thinking this very day before the 2012 Primary Election here in California, it is not unlike the schwag I’ve seen from various campaigns in the 2012 Election Year – t-shirts, buttons, bumper stickers and the like. In both Elections and Marathons, you have an array of memorabilia to help promote and commemorate the occasion.
In fact, an Election season in and of itself is not unlike a Marathon. How so? In more ways than you might think.
For starters, how you leave the starting blocks (i.e., declare your candidacy) is absolutely critical. In any race, you don’t want to falter coming off of the starting line because you never have a second chance to make a first impression. Same is true in a campaign. The goal is to send a strong signal to your competitors that you are a strong contender.
Second, in both an election and a marathon, it’s all about “pace.” Sometimes, you’ll have a candidate who wants to give it all away at the beginning of the race, but you have to remind them that it’s about pacing oneself. Just as a marathon is a daunting 26.2 mile experience, a campaign season is often nine months to 18 months, depending upon the race. Save the sprint for when it's needed.
Third, it’s all about the PR. In running, PR stands for your “Personal Record.” In the campaign world, it’s all about the Public Relations. But no matter which race you’re in, it’s all about doing your best – putting your best foot forward, so to speak. In a marathon or during an election, you can’t fake good PR. It is all about performance, and the final clock doesn’t lie. You’ll either win, or lose. You’ll either beat your personal record, or you won’t. You’ve either got it, or you don’t.
Fourth, seconds matter. Whether you're trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, or working in The War Room or running the social media on a major campaign, every second counts.
Lastly, on both occasions you must “finish strong.” In Elections, you can use those precious last weeks to solidify your lead and help drive up the score, just as a good Marathon runner can use those last few miles to help shave minutes off of their final time.
So, to all of those Runners out there in 2012 (the literal kind and the proverbial kind running for Office), keep on running. We will see you at the finish line!
