// In January, I signed up for a running club and plan to participate in three races by April. The first one was a Valentine’s 8K run that I completed. (My kids asked if I won the race, and I reminded them that finishing the race was winning — and everyone gets a trophy.) The next race is a St. Patrick’s Day 10K  in two weeks. (Lord, help me!) My final race is something that I’ve never run, a half-marathon. And I will be completing that by the beginning of April 2022. Pray for me, y’all.

I love the thought of running as an analogy for life. Next week I am going to Chicago for an ABA Tech Show presentation and have to run NINE miles at some point in the Windy City!

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Here’s how my run will probably go:

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I will start the run. My adrenaline’s going, and I have an excellent playlist playing, and I’m on my way.

Shortly after beginning, I will start to doubt myself and think:
“Why am I even doing this?”
“I don’t have the build for this.”
“I’m not sure that this is going to work–for me.”
“I don’t think my body can carry me to the end of this quest.”

Nevertheless, I will persist. And then I will see an upcoming hill (OK, any incline) and question why anyone would run up a hill. But then I will think back to my training, and I think, oh, I know. Keep your head up, pump your arms, and lift your knees. And make it up that hill, girl! And then I’ll get a runner’s high and feel like I can go forever.

I’ll look and see a vast stretch ahead of me and think, I bet that’s not even a quarter-mile. Or is it half a mile? I hope it’s not a mile. I could do half. (I struggle with ups and downs in confidence when I run, but I keep going.)

The wind will hit, and I want it to stop; on cue, but my favorite “Rocky” jam comes on, perfect for this windy stretch of the long mission.

I’ll tell myself to make it to that tree by the light pole. And I will.

I’ll keep going and make it to that roundabout and over the next hill and around the next turn. And just like magic, I’ll finish the race I set out to run.

Owning a law firm feels like running a race. Sometimes that race feels interminable. Sometimes I am elated when things are going well. Sometimes, others seem to have the secret sauce that I don’t, and I wonder why I am even doing this. That’s not the case. Every business owner is running their race. Even when things look like they are at their very worst (shins are hurting) and business is not coming through the door (left foot goes numb), and you feel like you can’t deal with that employee anymore (side cramp), keep running your race. Life shows us that everyone has her own set of problems, whether or not that is readily apparent in our world of Instagram and LinkedIn picture-perfect appearances. Everyone is going through something, and know that your law firm and life journeys are not linear. You will face hills and valleys. But you will also get second winds. You’ll face competition, but you will experience victory.

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No matter what the world is doing right now, do what you can and put one foot in front of another. If you have to walk, by all means, do that, but keep going and run your race to the next step. You’ve got this! Please email me your thoughts at [email protected].

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Iffy Ibekwe is the principal attorney of Ibekwe Law, PLLC. She believes that women deserve to make decisions that affect them with wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents. Activating women is Iffy’s calling, and she also loves speaking internationally about entrepreneurship, estate planning, motherhood, and supporting other women lawyers. Currently, Iffy is writing her first book on culturally competent estate planning, available in 2023 (prayers up!). A double-Longhorn, Iffy graduated from The University of Texas (undergrad and law) and has practiced law for over 15 years. Iffy can be reached by email at [email protected], her website, LinkedIn, and Instagram @iffyibekweesq.

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Iffy Ibekwe, Small Law Firms