10 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN October 2024 LAURA FIELD | NC EVP RUMINATIONS 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 Phone (402) 475-2333 | Fax (402) 475-0822 nc@necattlemen.org | www.nebraskacattlemen.org NEBRASKA CATTLEMEN STAFF EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | Laura Field lfield@necattlemen.org VICE PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATION ENGAGEMENT | Melody Benjamin VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING | Jeff Stolle DIRECTOR OF MARKETING | John Roberts DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Libby Schaneman DIRECTOR OF PRODUCER EDUCATION | Bonita Lederer DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP-RETENTION | Jessica Rudolph DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS | Matthew Melchor ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER | Kathy Abel OFFICE MANAGER | Ashley McClinton Nebraska Cattleman is published monthly, except for May and July, by the Nebraska Cattlemen, 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 – (402) 475-2333. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MAGAZINE PRODUCTION: BLUEPRINT MEDIA LLC www.blueprintma.com | ncmag@necattlemen.org EDITOR | Lisa Bard MANAGING EDITOR | Jessie Topp-Becker COPY EDITOR | Larisa Willrett DESIGNER & MATERIALS COORDINATOR | Megan Sajbel Field ADMINISTRATION | Leslie McKibben CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Bill Coe | Natalie Jones STATE & REGIONAL ADVERTISING Amber Coleman | (402) 340-1588 acoleman@necattlemen.org NATIONAL ADVERTISING Wendy McFarland | (334) 271-6100 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com Working for Nebraska Beef Producers PASTURE TO PLATE TO PLATE NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN VIEW NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN DIGITAL VERSION BY SCANNING THE QR CODE. RUN YOUR RACE LAURA FIELD | NC EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT There are a few things about me most people pick up on quickly. My top CliftonStrength is WOO – winning others over. I want to meet everyone and vow to connect before parting ways. I love my family, which is clear if you view my desk or visit my Instagram profile and see the photos. And while I’m a complete sports fanatic, I am completely lacking in athletic aptitude. When school ended in May, my 12-year-old daughter informed me she would be running on the junior high cross-country team in the fall. She has never been a runner, so we talked about commitment to herself and her team. She has three very athletic older brothers and a twin who is currently giving it his all as a lineman on the junior high football team, so I knew she had it in her. With her mother’s determination, she was all in. We spent time on the dirt roads this summer – her running, and me walking behind. I talked her out of frustrating moments, outlasted her in our arguments and cheered her on every single step. The day before school started, the team had its first practice. She came home completely gassed and talking non-stop (another thing she gets from her mother) about how she was ready for the next day. She told me that a runner has to “run her own race,” and she kept running every day. A few days into school, I attended the back-to-school parents meeting for athletes. I went to the football meeting and got the drill on expectations before going down the hall to the cross-country meeting. The coaches talked about the mentality of a runner and the expectations of the team. They shared that the hardest part of running is putting on your shorts. They talked about the keys of healthy eating habits, self-care and getting plenty of rest. My WOO-self approached the coaches after the meeting to introduce myself and thank them for the time they spend with the athletes. They shared how much they enjoy our daughter, the runner on the team. On a hot, humid morning in late August, she competed in her first race. I was nervous, got there early enough to wish her well, cheered as she started the race and was standing at the end when she crossed the finish line. I was beaming as I watched my little girl do something she set her heart to do. She ran her race. And she finished. The time it took didn’t matter – she did it! Right after Labor Day, she came home from practice beaming that she had shaved a minute and a half off her mile time since school started. She hit a mark she didn’t expect to reach for quite some time. When I asked her how she did it, she said, “I just ran faster, Mom!” I’ve gleaned much wisdom from my daughter the runner. It starts with pulling on our shorts and hitting the pavement. Big or small, taking that first step propels us across the finish line. Run your race, and when you’re able, run faster. ~NC~ Big or small, taking that first step propels us across the finish line.
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