I wanted to post the last update for the 2011 Track season today, two weeks before the Regional Meet.
I’ve made attempts to tell you all throughout the season that an athlete is not simply someone who wins all the time or is the fastest runner. An athlete is someone who is versatile, willing to step into uncomfortable running situations and perform, even if they doubt their abilities. An athlete has compassion for his or her teammates. An athlete works hard every day to be better than the previous day.
I wanted to give each of you enough time to think about the following words from Amby Burfoot’s book – The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life.
George Sheehan was once a spectacular runner. When he was dying of cancer, his running career changed dramatically. He was no longer winning races. His focus shifted to other things. Winning does not make the runner. Practice, determination, and willingness to try make the runner.
You are the only competition that truly matters in the end. “The most important thing I learned, is that there is only one runner in this race, and that is me.” – George Sheehan
The other runners in the race only provide the backdrop for the race. They are “filler”.
(The previous was paraphrased from Amby Burfoot’s – The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life)
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I want you to heed those words and remember what I’ve told you all – “The competition does not care about you. They are not sitting around worrying about what you are doing. Therefore, why should you care what training they are doing? Doing so will not help you at all.”
That’s sound advice that many coaches try to instill in their athletes. I remember my high school Cross Country coach telling me, “I want you to race today like you run in practice.” Then he asked me, “Will you do that for me?” It was the one time I really listened. That same Saturday morning I ran a personal best by nearly 40 seconds.
