Feature story: A cowboy’s character
Inspired by athlete Charlie ‘cowboy’ Hamilton, you can check out his athlete interview here.
Read time 2 minutes
By Michelle Bates, Editor Trailrunningthings.com
I have seen Charlie on the race scene the last couple of years. When he is racing, you know you are in for a hot pace. After his anticipated 42km SkyRace at Buffalo Stampede this year kicked off, it left those following along on the Instagram stories oooooooofting as they caught glimpses of the lead pack off at an absolutely cracking pace. We strapped in.
Those following the tracking, and those on course, realised something wasn’t right. The lead pack went off course about 10 minutes after the start of the race, and by the time they realised, they were about 4km off course.
What unfolded for the rest of this race was remarkable. We followed along as Charlie ‘cowboy’ Hamilton, having had to face a decision to pull out, or keep chasing, decided to race back and give absolutely everything he had.
Seeing him cross the finish line, just after Billy Curtis, who placed first after a great race, after Charlie clawed his way back to that point, was emotional. Seeing Charlie on his knees on the finish line, completely spent, after his fight back during the race, was truly inspiring.
It got me thinking about character, and fight.
What is it that gives us strength and courage to persevere, when we are against the wall, when the odds are stacked against us?
I have pondered over this, toyed with the idea of grit, integrity, resilience. But it isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. If you placed that lens over different people placed in the same experience, it is the question of our why that determines where this strength comes from. Everyone has a different why. Charlie’s Buffalo Stampede race taught me a lesson in the depth of why. Doing something just to win or achieve a pre-determined expectation of yourself means that if you don’t reach that for any reason, that your experience stops there. If your depth of why includes other layered reasons that can’t be stripped away if things don’t go as expected (such as life goes), you still have a strong sense of your why to continue to give moments your best, to give yourself your best.
A lesson in why, ripped from psychologists everywhere
What is your why for XYZ?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Why?
In action…
What is your why for racing? To compete and achieve
Why? Because I like to challenge myself and see what I am capable of
Why? Because it gives me confidence
Why? Because I can do things that are hard
Why? Because that makes me proud of myself
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