The words in my last post come with a caveat.
They will not work if you use it to smash others, to grind their bums into the dust. Alittle friendly banter between mates is OK , but make sure it is tongue in cheek. Don't use a killer instinct directed at others, all that does is tense you up, increasing your chances of injury, raises your heart rate and very rarely inceases your overall pace, and gets you absolutely nowhere.
That's the great thing about running. To be the best you can, you have to concentrate on yourself. It's your race not someone else's. You run at your own pace, your own strategies, your own plan, and you use other people's efforts as an inspiration for yourself. You feed off their energy in a positive way. Always, if you can find the breath, complement them on their efforts as you catch up to them "mate your running well or stick with me, and will get each other over the finish line". Look around, and realise that in this moment you wouldn't want to be anywhere else. You absolutely love this, and you love being amongst other athletes striving to be the best that they can be. When you finish your run, go over that mantra. Was I the best that I could be, what excuses popped up that may have stopped me from being my best. You will learn alot when you make mistakes, so be bold and have dreams. Be positive with your running, and help those around you. Don't grind them into the dust, but inspire them as they have inspired you. Being a champion is a bigger thing than winning a race. It's all about being your best, and helping those around you to be the same. The payoffs are a lot bigger than a medal.
Emial Zatopek was perhaps one of the greatest examples of being a tough competitor, as well as one of the most compassionate well liked athletes that has ever lived. In his day he was phenomenal. People couldn't believe that a person could do this. They thought he was going to die. In the 10,000 m in Helsinki Olympics, he broke the world record. In the 5000 m a few days later he broke that record too, and then went on to run the marathon, despite it being his 1st ever, and he won it by half a mile. He had time to eat half an apple, and give the other half to the next person across the line. But what really impressed other athletes about Emial Zatopek was what a terrific fellow he was. He was a ruthless competitor, but there was nothing he wouldn't tell you or give you. Les Perry, who represented Australia in the Helsinki games received one of Emial's singlets, the one he won all the medals in, number 903, and of course Zatopek is famous for giving his Helsinki 10,000 m gold medal to Ron Clarke another Australian Olympian because Emial was so impressed with Ron's phenomenally uncompromising courage in high altitude of the Mexico Olympics, running until he couldn't breathe, until he collapsed over the line, and his heart stopped beating. Running so hard for gold that in nearly died in the effort. Emial graciously gave Ron that gold medal with the words, "because you deserved it". Zatopek epitomised the Olympic spirit. "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not the winning but taking part, it is not conquering, but fighting well". There was another also. In the 1500 m final in the Melbourne Olympics. Gunner Nielson, a Danish champion urged John Landy on at the bell lap. He told Landy, "to go now you can win it". Exhausted ,and without any chance himself Nielson still had the character to encourage another athlete.
If Olympians can do it, then we can learn from them, to do the same.
And the Champions Mantra will be yours.
Emial Zatopek was perhaps one of the greatest examples of being a tough competitor, as well as one of the most compassionate well liked athletes that has ever lived. In his day he was phenomenal. People couldn't believe that a person could do this. They thought he was going to die. In the 10,000 m in Helsinki Olympics, he broke the world record. In the 5000 m a few days later he broke that record too, and then went on to run the marathon, despite it being his 1st ever, and he won it by half a mile. He had time to eat half an apple, and give the other half to the next person across the line. But what really impressed other athletes about Emial Zatopek was what a terrific fellow he was. He was a ruthless competitor, but there was nothing he wouldn't tell you or give you. Les Perry, who represented Australia in the Helsinki games received one of Emial's singlets, the one he won all the medals in, number 903, and of course Zatopek is famous for giving his Helsinki 10,000 m gold medal to Ron Clarke another Australian Olympian because Emial was so impressed with Ron's phenomenally uncompromising courage in high altitude of the Mexico Olympics, running until he couldn't breathe, until he collapsed over the line, and his heart stopped beating. Running so hard for gold that in nearly died in the effort. Emial graciously gave Ron that gold medal with the words, "because you deserved it". Zatopek epitomised the Olympic spirit. "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not the winning but taking part, it is not conquering, but fighting well". There was another also. In the 1500 m final in the Melbourne Olympics. Gunner Nielson, a Danish champion urged John Landy on at the bell lap. He told Landy, "to go now you can win it". Exhausted ,and without any chance himself Nielson still had the character to encourage another athlete.
If Olympians can do it, then we can learn from them, to do the same.
And the Champions Mantra will be yours.
No comments:
Post a Comment