May’s Theme is Be a Team

by Amy Matsumoto, SMPS Seattle President, KPFF

Happy May!  With the sun out this month, I have started a running routine.  Not because I love running.  In fact, I’m not a big fan. I haven’t quite experienced the runner’s high yet.  I even get somewhat bored out there. It’s also kind of lonely, there is no one to talk to. When my destination is my starting point, it also makes me wonder, why am I doing this? However, I was recently invited to participate in a Ragnar Relay race (200-ish miles, overnight, running relay, two vans, twelve runners), that happens to also be a bachelorette party. I thought, anything for the bride, so I better get in shape!

Rather than being a runner, I have always considered myself more of a team sports type person.  Soccer has always been my passion. You automatically have 10 friends who are working together, passing the ball around for 90 minutes trying to score or defend goals.  Win or lose, we go out to eat and drink afterwards; a definite bonus. We even call it team bonding. I’m sure that tradition started at age 5 when our first soccer teams would go to ice cream after every game. Since we all can afford to buy our own refreshments now, it’s just morphed into food and drinks (that may or may not require you to be 21 or older to order). 

We all know what it’s like to be a part of a team; whether it’s a project team, design team, marketing team, sports team or volunteer team. The purpose of a team is to utilize everyone’s strengths to work together towards a common goal.  Enough work talk.  Let’s get back to running.  Can running be a team sport?  Of course it can! I soon realized that with the support and encouragement of the 11 others in our relay. Suddenly I didn’t feel so alone out there training. We live in different parts of the country, so training together means setting up a time on certain days that we would run. Sometimes the report back would be, “never made it passed the mimosas” to “ran ten miles and felt great”.  There’s also the fun selfies to go along with whatever we did at the designated time.  Suddenly, we are a team.  I can’t admit that I love running quite yet, but feeling like I’m part of a team definitely makes it better. Suddenly, my runs are easier, they go by faster, and I don’t dread them.

What’s the point to all of this? Ever felt like you’re a runner without a team?  Facing a challenge alone?  Frustrated with a reporting system or lack thereof?  Hitting a creative mental block?  Work to surround yourself with teammates.  Your SMPS community is a great example!  The next breakfast, roundtable or networking event, I encourage you to make friends and create your own team with whom you can bounce ideas from or asking advice from.  You may find that, suddenly, the challenges may not be as challenging as you once thought.

Your next opportunity? May 19^th at the Reign Awards. See you there!

Amy