This week I devoted my writing time to the "book project."  After 15 months of evolution, Going Deeper: Reflections on Challenge and Change has gone to the printer.  A review draft is making its way back by mail as I write.  Woo Hoo!  And the creative muse is demanding a day off.  So, I am sharing an earlier essay that is timely this week as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the women's Olympic marathon.

It was August 5, 1984 in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Her mother hugged her and whispered; "Now you can stop." Friends and supporters echoed the theme. "You've made your mark on history, now you can move on." Joan Benoit had won the first-ever women's Olympic marathon. Now she could settle down. Relax. Rest on her laurels. Get a life.

Joan herself saw it differently. Not one to dwell on past victories, she looked forward to more competition and continued to reach for the next level of excellence. Yes, she married Scott Samuelson. She birthed a daughter Abby and son Anders. She became active in supporting local environmental causes. But she also kept running, setting a string of world, American, and course records at the marathon distance.

When Joan turned 50, she focused her intent gaze on a new set of goals. She reconnected with winning the New York City and Chicago marathons in her youth by finishing in record time twenty-five years later. She delivered another strong Boston Marathon after winning in 1979 and 1983. She became the first woman to run marathons in under three hours in each of five decades. After having won the 1984 Olympic Marathon Trials, she wanted to qualify again, for the 2008 Trials, and missed by less than two minutes at the age of 51.

Joan Benoit Samuelson has finished every race she ever started. She still trains 85 miles a week in her 50s. She sets a goal, then while the medal still dangles from her neck, looks forward to the next one. She is not just out there, enjoying the admiration of her fans. She trains hard and puts forth her best effort. Every time.

Known by friends and fans alike as "Joanie," Samuelson stands as an icon of women's progress in athletics. At only 5'2", she is a giant in the world of running. Her example not only inspires because of her pinnacle successes but also because of her persistence over the decades. She has not only pursued personal goals over the years, but is well known for mentoring and motivating younger women to change their lives through running.

"There is No Finish Line." What a perfect title for the documentary about Joanie's contribution as an individual athlete and as an ambassador for women in sport. I draw strength from her example to continue looking forward, with an eye to making the most of every day.

What goals do you want so much that they pull you into a life fully lived? Which heroes embody the life you want as you move through the decades?