Thanks for sharing, Sally. For what it’s worth, I was part of the crew you pulled together leaving Arrastra. Your calm leadership and steady drive all the way up to Kipa helped set a foundation for the rest of my race. While you may not have met your goals, you contributed to mine and I’m sure several of the other runners. Thanks for doing what you do!
I don't have the appropriate words to respond to what I have just read, but just know I will need to read it a bunch more times because it hits different, and in a way I think I need.
Awe Sally 💛 thanks for sharing this with us. I totally get your hurtful disappointment. I love how you remind us this is not our identity! But that’s hard to keep reminding ourselves. Our path changes in ways we don’t understand. I do know for CERTAIN… His ways are never wasted. Praying always for you dear one. Love you Janice 💛🥰
Feeling upset that you've missed your goals is a sign that you are motivated and that you care. Being super positive and pretending that all is "good" tends to result in being happy to accept being sub par.
Disappointment in itself isn't really good or bad. It's what we do with it that determines whether we let it defeat us or motivate us. I've had times in my life where I have let my desire to be better shift the goal posts so much that I feel that I haven't ever achieved anything. I've also had times that I've been able to harness disappointment and use it to motivate me to better things.
I look forward to hearing your next story / stories as you go from strength to strength (perhaps with a few more disappointments along the way).
No matter the result, you are such an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for being here. Also, you have an incredible gift with words and story-telling. Keep up the beautiful work!
Oh Sally- how much more difficult it must be for a professional athlete to fill disappointment than this old 63 year-old runner. I don’t have anybody to disappoint other than myself. You and the other hand have so much more expectations and I completely get it. In fact, all of us in this community get it. I want you to know how proud we all are of you. When I heard that you had the melanoma surgery, my heart dropped. That’s a major surgery and it’s certainly hard on the mind. Know that we all are praying for you. Know that we all love you no matter what you do, how you do it or place 💛. Keep on keeping on!
Finishing something as demanding as Cocodona 250 is an incredible accomplishment, but accomplishment and disappointment can coexist. When we've invested time, training, and sacrificed to achieve a goal, it's natural to reflect on where we fell short of our own expectations.
What resonated most with me was your reminder that disappointment isn't something to avoid—it's feedback. It's evidence that we cared, that we took a risk, and that we were willing to put ourselves out there. The people who never fail are usually the ones who never try.
Thank you for sharing the vulnerable side of the journey. Those of us who are striving, stumbling, learning, and showing up again and again understand exactly what you mean.
I certainly have been - and will be - disappointed plenty, much more than I care to count, exactly because I care, I have high expectations, and I prepare so much better than some of the "performances" go (or not go at all). I really, truly appreciate you sharing the raw feelings - f*ck, this sucks. I mean, I'm sitting here with enough tries at something I depply care about, and I am disappointed so deeply about every one of them, that I spin my head about "preparing better", knowing all too well shit will still go wrong, and how wrong, and how much of it I can handle, is a question I don't have an answer, until I try again. And all the positive sayers about "we're in the top 0.1%" are nice, but they are not inside us. It goes for life's decisions as well. Sally, being vulnerable is a gift we're afraid to share. That's fine, too. We'll just get up, dust off, and keep marching on, despite disappointments and pain and insecurities. Some of us are just wired this way. Suck it up, put your head down, and try again. I know I am. I know you are. Badwater, here you come.
Negative emotions are part of life. It has always bothered me when people try to deny them. I think feeling them, expressing them is what actually allows them to be moved through and processed. We come out the other side better for feeling all of our feelings. Disappointment, failing is hard to sit with but when we allow ourselves to do so we are able to grow the most.
Yes, a massive accomplishment under any circumstances, but I was gutted for you Sally, because I knew this would have felt like failure to you. It looked so rough on you, and I won't patronise you by saying you did great to finish (even though it's true) but I will say I am excited to see you race Badwater and hit the goals you have set there. I am sure that will go a very long way towards putting Cocodona behind you. I'll be watching and cheering you on.
Thanks for being candid and raw with your disappointment, which still stings five weeks later. I can relate, as I was disappointed when I finally got the shot at Hardrock last year. Yes I finished, but it was not at all the performance I wanted, so I yearn for a do-over to finish with dignity and pride. We risk disappointment when we care deeply and train assiduously, but caring also leads to our best!
Feeling the disappointment is completely normal for a person in your position and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, that mindset is the exact reason you are as successful as you are.
The beautiful thing is, there is always another goal waiting in front of you. Time to lock in on the next!
Thanks for sharing, Sally. For what it’s worth, I was part of the crew you pulled together leaving Arrastra. Your calm leadership and steady drive all the way up to Kipa helped set a foundation for the rest of my race. While you may not have met your goals, you contributed to mine and I’m sure several of the other runners. Thanks for doing what you do!
Thank you.
I don't have the appropriate words to respond to what I have just read, but just know I will need to read it a bunch more times because it hits different, and in a way I think I need.
Thank you.
Awe Sally 💛 thanks for sharing this with us. I totally get your hurtful disappointment. I love how you remind us this is not our identity! But that’s hard to keep reminding ourselves. Our path changes in ways we don’t understand. I do know for CERTAIN… His ways are never wasted. Praying always for you dear one. Love you Janice 💛🥰
Good on you sally. Thank you for sharing
Feeling upset that you've missed your goals is a sign that you are motivated and that you care. Being super positive and pretending that all is "good" tends to result in being happy to accept being sub par.
Disappointment in itself isn't really good or bad. It's what we do with it that determines whether we let it defeat us or motivate us. I've had times in my life where I have let my desire to be better shift the goal posts so much that I feel that I haven't ever achieved anything. I've also had times that I've been able to harness disappointment and use it to motivate me to better things.
I look forward to hearing your next story / stories as you go from strength to strength (perhaps with a few more disappointments along the way).
No matter the result, you are such an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for being here. Also, you have an incredible gift with words and story-telling. Keep up the beautiful work!
Oh Sally- how much more difficult it must be for a professional athlete to fill disappointment than this old 63 year-old runner. I don’t have anybody to disappoint other than myself. You and the other hand have so much more expectations and I completely get it. In fact, all of us in this community get it. I want you to know how proud we all are of you. When I heard that you had the melanoma surgery, my heart dropped. That’s a major surgery and it’s certainly hard on the mind. Know that we all are praying for you. Know that we all love you no matter what you do, how you do it or place 💛. Keep on keeping on!
Finishing something as demanding as Cocodona 250 is an incredible accomplishment, but accomplishment and disappointment can coexist. When we've invested time, training, and sacrificed to achieve a goal, it's natural to reflect on where we fell short of our own expectations.
What resonated most with me was your reminder that disappointment isn't something to avoid—it's feedback. It's evidence that we cared, that we took a risk, and that we were willing to put ourselves out there. The people who never fail are usually the ones who never try.
Thank you for sharing the vulnerable side of the journey. Those of us who are striving, stumbling, learning, and showing up again and again understand exactly what you mean.
I certainly have been - and will be - disappointed plenty, much more than I care to count, exactly because I care, I have high expectations, and I prepare so much better than some of the "performances" go (or not go at all). I really, truly appreciate you sharing the raw feelings - f*ck, this sucks. I mean, I'm sitting here with enough tries at something I depply care about, and I am disappointed so deeply about every one of them, that I spin my head about "preparing better", knowing all too well shit will still go wrong, and how wrong, and how much of it I can handle, is a question I don't have an answer, until I try again. And all the positive sayers about "we're in the top 0.1%" are nice, but they are not inside us. It goes for life's decisions as well. Sally, being vulnerable is a gift we're afraid to share. That's fine, too. We'll just get up, dust off, and keep marching on, despite disappointments and pain and insecurities. Some of us are just wired this way. Suck it up, put your head down, and try again. I know I am. I know you are. Badwater, here you come.
Negative emotions are part of life. It has always bothered me when people try to deny them. I think feeling them, expressing them is what actually allows them to be moved through and processed. We come out the other side better for feeling all of our feelings. Disappointment, failing is hard to sit with but when we allow ourselves to do so we are able to grow the most.
I am proud of you always. Love you my friend!
Yes, a massive accomplishment under any circumstances, but I was gutted for you Sally, because I knew this would have felt like failure to you. It looked so rough on you, and I won't patronise you by saying you did great to finish (even though it's true) but I will say I am excited to see you race Badwater and hit the goals you have set there. I am sure that will go a very long way towards putting Cocodona behind you. I'll be watching and cheering you on.
Caring deeply about something ❤️you already win. Thanks for such a beautiful raw account. You are loved.
Thanks for being candid and raw with your disappointment, which still stings five weeks later. I can relate, as I was disappointed when I finally got the shot at Hardrock last year. Yes I finished, but it was not at all the performance I wanted, so I yearn for a do-over to finish with dignity and pride. We risk disappointment when we care deeply and train assiduously, but caring also leads to our best!
Awesome post Sally, thank you for sharing!
Feeling the disappointment is completely normal for a person in your position and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, that mindset is the exact reason you are as successful as you are.
The beautiful thing is, there is always another goal waiting in front of you. Time to lock in on the next!
really appreciate you reading and your thoughtful comment Kevin =)