Dirk Elsperman, COO --The first time I entered a race, it was just about finishing. The competition was the course itself. Would I be able to master the race legs, the transitions, and still stand at the end? It was unknown because I hadn’t done one before. It’s the same in construction. A goal on every project is to get the project completed safely, on time, and within the budget. First and foremost, our competition is the project. Because we never build the same project twice, we need to use all our resources to master all of the intricate details just to get to substantial completion and a satisfied customer.
As I’ve entered more races, my goals have changed. Soon it became a question of not whether I would finish, but how good I would feel at the end. About 6 years ago, my wife commented after I’d finished a race: “Do you remember that first race where you barely made it across the finish line and lay on the couch for the next two days? Now you’re entering races twice as long in the morning and then cutting the grass and going to kids’ events in the afternoon. I don’t think you’re working hard enough.” Easy for her to say!
But it’s evident that with a little more training and preparation, the races have become easier and the recovery quicker. It’s not so much about the sprint to the end, but about the pace you set from the beginning. Again, it’s the same in construction. It’s not just about getting to the finish line, but about doing it “with style.” And the best projects are those that ease up to the finish line because they set the right pace from the beginning.