http://www.kodakgallery.com/srrc/main
and from Hardy Breed .com (Thanks)!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hardybreed/sets/72157621373118892/
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Stage 4: The Athlete. Being the Best You Can Be.
This is part four of the Five Stages of a Runner. (See previous posts for stages one, two, and three).
As an athlete, you find more meaning in the drive to fulfill your potential than in compulsively collecting times and trophies. You’ve finally got a handle on competition, and it’s not the only motivation. Being an athlete is a state of mind which is not bound by age, performance or place in the running pack.
For a competitor, victory and defeat are tied to performance. Times, flat courses, ideal conditions are all important. For the athlete, victory lies in the quality of effort. When you run close to your potential on a given day, it’s a victory. You internalize competition and transcend it, knowing your limits and capabilities. You understand what’s important and what you must do to accomplish it. As you compete, you breathe in the race, vaporize it, absorb what you need and exhale the rest. Running becomes your own work of art.
Competitors search for races they can win. Athletes look for competition, but are not intent on a higher ranking or better performance (from a flat, fast course, etc.). They thrive on a challenging competition that is run in the best way possible — from the inside out — and they are, not incidentally, rewarded in the long run by faster times. Nevertheless, athletes are also found in the back of the pack, or they may choose smaller races over the big media events because they don’t want to feel lost in the sea of humanity.
Gradual progress is more important to the athlete than a fast time in a given race. You now have an internal concept of what you can do. When progress slows or is blocked, you revise. With every run, your internal training computer is fed with good data that gives you a new readout of possibilities. You know when to disregard a bad run and not get depressed.
Though you once may have been a competitor who read everything and tried most of it, as an athlete you now read only what has practical value. When problems arise you look for literature on the subject by authors you trust. Your reading ties into an overall plan. You’re no longer sampling everyone’s tips and tricks like treats out of the cookie jar.
Planning is important. Although you’re flexible, you plot goals and races 6-9 months in advance. The athlete is capable of continuous re-evaluation, and may change goals from week to week. Plans are not always written; some athletes are so in tune with their bodies they can work from a mental notebook. Whether your plan is written or “programmed” you know where you’re going. You may not know the exact vehicle you’ll take, but you know you will arrive.
Like other humans, athletes are not perfectly consistent. Sometimes you’ll slip back and become a competitor. After a series of successes, you may become dissatisfied with performances that fall short of your goals. Rather than evaluating, analyzing and readjusting, you may dwell upon the bad day, the slump, or the poor showing, and feel a sense of failure.
Great athletes at any level realize that “success” is in the eye of the performer. There can be success in every experience. If you can seize upon the positive aspect of each experience you can string together a series of successes that form a pattern of progress.
Some athletes reach a level of achievement or satisfaction and retire from competition; a few even quit running entirely. Many choose a reduced level of activity, others maintain a fairly high yet sensible level. Many continue to grow and move into the final and most rewarding stage, the runner.
As an athlete, you find more meaning in the drive to fulfill your potential than in compulsively collecting times and trophies. You’ve finally got a handle on competition, and it’s not the only motivation. Being an athlete is a state of mind which is not bound by age, performance or place in the running pack.
For a competitor, victory and defeat are tied to performance. Times, flat courses, ideal conditions are all important. For the athlete, victory lies in the quality of effort. When you run close to your potential on a given day, it’s a victory. You internalize competition and transcend it, knowing your limits and capabilities. You understand what’s important and what you must do to accomplish it. As you compete, you breathe in the race, vaporize it, absorb what you need and exhale the rest. Running becomes your own work of art.
Competitors search for races they can win. Athletes look for competition, but are not intent on a higher ranking or better performance (from a flat, fast course, etc.). They thrive on a challenging competition that is run in the best way possible — from the inside out — and they are, not incidentally, rewarded in the long run by faster times. Nevertheless, athletes are also found in the back of the pack, or they may choose smaller races over the big media events because they don’t want to feel lost in the sea of humanity.
Gradual progress is more important to the athlete than a fast time in a given race. You now have an internal concept of what you can do. When progress slows or is blocked, you revise. With every run, your internal training computer is fed with good data that gives you a new readout of possibilities. You know when to disregard a bad run and not get depressed.
Though you once may have been a competitor who read everything and tried most of it, as an athlete you now read only what has practical value. When problems arise you look for literature on the subject by authors you trust. Your reading ties into an overall plan. You’re no longer sampling everyone’s tips and tricks like treats out of the cookie jar.
Planning is important. Although you’re flexible, you plot goals and races 6-9 months in advance. The athlete is capable of continuous re-evaluation, and may change goals from week to week. Plans are not always written; some athletes are so in tune with their bodies they can work from a mental notebook. Whether your plan is written or “programmed” you know where you’re going. You may not know the exact vehicle you’ll take, but you know you will arrive.
Like other humans, athletes are not perfectly consistent. Sometimes you’ll slip back and become a competitor. After a series of successes, you may become dissatisfied with performances that fall short of your goals. Rather than evaluating, analyzing and readjusting, you may dwell upon the bad day, the slump, or the poor showing, and feel a sense of failure.
Great athletes at any level realize that “success” is in the eye of the performer. There can be success in every experience. If you can seize upon the positive aspect of each experience you can string together a series of successes that form a pattern of progress.
Some athletes reach a level of achievement or satisfaction and retire from competition; a few even quit running entirely. Many choose a reduced level of activity, others maintain a fairly high yet sensible level. Many continue to grow and move into the final and most rewarding stage, the runner.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Abe's Proclamation.
"The true runner is a very fortunate person. He has found something in him that is just perfect."
-George Sheehan
-George Sheehan
Monday, July 13, 2009
Week 7:
Monday (July 13th):
P-4 miles
C-4.5 miles
Tuesday (July 14th):
Cross-train
Wednesday (July 15th):
P-2-2.5 miles
C-3-3.5 miles
Track workout at Sacred Heart Griffin's Track-every Wednesday at 5:30 PM- All are welcome! This is not just for the speedy as you do run at your own pace. We can almost guarantee you that there will be someone else that also runs your speed! For more information regarding the summer track workouts, visit Katie's blog at http://www.runkt.blogspot.com/. This really is a lot of fun as Katie does make our track experience enjoyable.
Thursday (July 16th):
P-2.5-3 miles
C-3.5-4 miles
Friday (July 17th):
Off
Saturday (July 18th):
P-5 miles
C-5 miles
Sunday (July 19th):
P-Off
C-Cross-train
P-4 miles
C-4.5 miles
Tuesday (July 14th):
Cross-train
Wednesday (July 15th):
P-2-2.5 miles
C-3-3.5 miles
Track workout at Sacred Heart Griffin's Track-every Wednesday at 5:30 PM- All are welcome! This is not just for the speedy as you do run at your own pace. We can almost guarantee you that there will be someone else that also runs your speed! For more information regarding the summer track workouts, visit Katie's blog at http://www.runkt.blogspot.com/. This really is a lot of fun as Katie does make our track experience enjoyable.
Thursday (July 16th):
P-2.5-3 miles
C-3.5-4 miles
Friday (July 17th):
Off
Saturday (July 18th):
P-5 miles
C-5 miles
Sunday (July 19th):
P-Off
C-Cross-train
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Congratulations...
to everyone that completed the two mile Women's Distance Festival! What a fantastic turnout and event. We were even lucky to beat any potential rain!
Special thanks to Director Susan Helm and to everyone that assisted in making this event so successful.
I will post results and photo's as soon as I get them.
Let's hear how you did...
Special thanks to Director Susan Helm and to everyone that assisted in making this event so successful.
I will post results and photo's as soon as I get them.
Let's hear how you did...
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 09, 2009
What Should I Do if I See a Runner Collapse?
The following article is from runnersworld.com.
"Ask the Running Doc" blog.
June 16, 2009
Dr. Lewis G. Maharam
Dear readers,
Last week I answered the question, What should you do if you witness a fellow runner collapsing during a marathon?
Today is a little different, in that we will talk about what you can do if you see a downed runner while on a routine training run -- without the benefit of race organizers, spectators, and a race medical team on standby.
The following advice presumes that you have no medical knowledge and do not know CPR.
-First, either dial 911 or if you are with someone, have them dial 911 while you tend to your patient. Make sure you or your friend has an accurate description of where you are. (This assumes you have a cell phone; if not, find someone who does, ASAP.)
-Assess whether the patient is conscious. Yell, “Are you OK?” and gentle tap his shoulder. If no response, assume unconsciousness. At this point, do not roll the patient onto his back; he may have injured his neck.
-Next, assess for breathing. Is the chest rising or falling? Put your ear up to the patient's mouth and listen. (If you happen to be carrying a mirror of any sort -- hey, you never know! -- you can place the mirror to the patient's mouth; if it fogs up, the patient is breathing.)
-If the patient is breathing, observe and wait with the patient, not moving him until the ambulance arrives. Be sure to wave your hands as the vehicle approaches, so they see where you are.
-If the patient is NOT breathing, you may need to perform CPR. (Note: Although I would much rather you had a proper CPR course to teach you this, in a situation like this one, doing something is better than nothing.)
Here's what to do:
-If he is face down, gently roll the patient onto his back, supporting the head and neck in line in case there is a fracture. Gently place your fist under his neck so as to raise the chin and open the airway. Place your mouth over the patient's mouth, form a good seal, and blow in till you see his chest rise. Then take your mouth off, allowing the patient's chest to fall as the breath comes out. Re-seal your mouth and do a second breath.
-Now, take your index finger and middle finger (not your thumb because it has a pulse in it) and check the side of the neck for a pulse. If you can’t feel a pulse, chest compressions are necessary.
-Place your palm mid-sternum and do 80-100 compressions a minute.
The newest recommendations say you do not need to give breaths at this point -- just keep doing chest compressions until help arrives.
-If the patient vomits, carefully roll the patient to the side, keeping the neck in line until clear of vomitus, then re-check breathing and pulse and follow the above steps every few minutes.
-If the patient is seizing, watch him until it finishes; usually such seizures are self limiting. After the seizures finish, again, check for breathing. Keeping the airway open until help arrives is always a good thing.
Nowadays, I believe everyone should know CPR. The above doesn’t really give you the best training to handle this situation.
There is a free Internet course you can do in no time at all to put your knowledge base way ahead of your peers. Here is the link: http://www.firstaidweb.com/index.php
"Ask the Running Doc" blog.
June 16, 2009
Dr. Lewis G. Maharam
Dear readers,
Last week I answered the question, What should you do if you witness a fellow runner collapsing during a marathon?
Today is a little different, in that we will talk about what you can do if you see a downed runner while on a routine training run -- without the benefit of race organizers, spectators, and a race medical team on standby.
The following advice presumes that you have no medical knowledge and do not know CPR.
-First, either dial 911 or if you are with someone, have them dial 911 while you tend to your patient. Make sure you or your friend has an accurate description of where you are. (This assumes you have a cell phone; if not, find someone who does, ASAP.)
-Assess whether the patient is conscious. Yell, “Are you OK?” and gentle tap his shoulder. If no response, assume unconsciousness. At this point, do not roll the patient onto his back; he may have injured his neck.
-Next, assess for breathing. Is the chest rising or falling? Put your ear up to the patient's mouth and listen. (If you happen to be carrying a mirror of any sort -- hey, you never know! -- you can place the mirror to the patient's mouth; if it fogs up, the patient is breathing.)
-If the patient is breathing, observe and wait with the patient, not moving him until the ambulance arrives. Be sure to wave your hands as the vehicle approaches, so they see where you are.
-If the patient is NOT breathing, you may need to perform CPR. (Note: Although I would much rather you had a proper CPR course to teach you this, in a situation like this one, doing something is better than nothing.)
Here's what to do:
-If he is face down, gently roll the patient onto his back, supporting the head and neck in line in case there is a fracture. Gently place your fist under his neck so as to raise the chin and open the airway. Place your mouth over the patient's mouth, form a good seal, and blow in till you see his chest rise. Then take your mouth off, allowing the patient's chest to fall as the breath comes out. Re-seal your mouth and do a second breath.
-Now, take your index finger and middle finger (not your thumb because it has a pulse in it) and check the side of the neck for a pulse. If you can’t feel a pulse, chest compressions are necessary.
-Place your palm mid-sternum and do 80-100 compressions a minute.
The newest recommendations say you do not need to give breaths at this point -- just keep doing chest compressions until help arrives.
-If the patient vomits, carefully roll the patient to the side, keeping the neck in line until clear of vomitus, then re-check breathing and pulse and follow the above steps every few minutes.
-If the patient is seizing, watch him until it finishes; usually such seizures are self limiting. After the seizures finish, again, check for breathing. Keeping the airway open until help arrives is always a good thing.
Nowadays, I believe everyone should know CPR. The above doesn’t really give you the best training to handle this situation.
There is a free Internet course you can do in no time at all to put your knowledge base way ahead of your peers. Here is the link: http://www.firstaidweb.com/index.php
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Diana Speaks...
Regarding the water issue Monday night:Yes, unfortunately we did run out of water at the cemetery. Monday the group leaders planned their run/walk and walk routes through the cemetery to incorporate this portion of the Abe’s Amble course. As facilitators, we were unaware of the group leaders routes and how many run/walkers are going to be in a given area of the Abe’s Amble route. With the increasing mileage, we will adjust the amount of water at the cemetery entrance since more groups are working their routes to incorporate the cemetery.
Thank you all for your hard work during your training. The group leaders are impressed with each weeks progress and we continue to see weekly improvements.
Stay safe on the roads…….
Diana Nevitt
Diana Nevitt
Reminder: WDF this weekend!
The Women’s Distance Festival, a 2 mile all-women’s race, will be held this Saturday, July 11th at Washington Park. Proceeds from this event are donated to Girls on the Run.
The Women’s Distance Festival is perfect for all females because…..
· The distance….only 2 miles!
· The atmosphere….a celebration of women of all ages.
· The participants….women/girls of all running and walking skill levels complete the 2 mile distance.
· The benefactor….proceeds from the race go to support Girls on the Run!
Event details and registration for the event is available online at http://www.womensdistance.com/ .
GOTR participants will be recognized at the event….and will make the GOTR program more “real” to the community. I hope you and your “girlfriends” can join us for the event. Your support of GOTR and the Women’s Distance Festival is appreciated.
· The distance….only 2 miles!
· The atmosphere….a celebration of women of all ages.
· The participants….women/girls of all running and walking skill levels complete the 2 mile distance.
· The benefactor….proceeds from the race go to support Girls on the Run!
Event details and registration for the event is available online at http://www.womensdistance.com/ .
GOTR participants will be recognized at the event….and will make the GOTR program more “real” to the community. I hope you and your “girlfriends” can join us for the event. Your support of GOTR and the Women’s Distance Festival is appreciated.
Deb Shultz
Director – Girls on the Run of Springfield
Director – Girls on the Run of Springfield
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Abe's Proclamation
"Vary your training, your running partners, and your environment. Only your imagination limits the ways you can spice up your running routine."
-Bob Glover, The Runner's Handbook
-Bob Glover, The Runner's Handbook
Monday, July 06, 2009
Read All About it...
Click the link below to read what Patsy Wappel (our very own Abe's Army recruit) has to say about Abe's Army and upcoming WDF in today's newspaper.
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x631614768/400-women-gear-up-for-annual-2-mile-run-walk
The State Journal-Register
By ELLE MOXLEY
July 6, 2009
More than 400 women are expected to participate in the 30th Annual Women’s Distance Festival 2-mile run/walk at Washington Park on Saturday.
“It’s always the hottest, most humid day of the year, but everybody seems to come out in a good mood — sisters, best friends, mothers, daughters, everyone — but of course, just women,” race director Susan Helm said.
First-time participant Patsy Wappel is using the race to train for Abe’s Amble, the 10K held during the Illinois State Fair. Wappel is also participating in Abe’s Army, a 12-week training program for the race.“I’m not a runner,” said Wappel, who works at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. “I’ve never been a runner.”But after winning SIU’s “Greatest Loser” challenge with a group of co-workers, Wappel set her sights on the Abe’s Amble 10K.Abe’s Army helps participants build endurance over the course of the summer by running a little farther each week. In the beginning, the group ran 1.6 miles and is now up to 3 miles.
Be sure and check out the entire article!
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x631614768/400-women-gear-up-for-annual-2-mile-run-walk
The State Journal-Register
By ELLE MOXLEY
July 6, 2009
More than 400 women are expected to participate in the 30th Annual Women’s Distance Festival 2-mile run/walk at Washington Park on Saturday.
“It’s always the hottest, most humid day of the year, but everybody seems to come out in a good mood — sisters, best friends, mothers, daughters, everyone — but of course, just women,” race director Susan Helm said.
First-time participant Patsy Wappel is using the race to train for Abe’s Amble, the 10K held during the Illinois State Fair. Wappel is also participating in Abe’s Army, a 12-week training program for the race.“I’m not a runner,” said Wappel, who works at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. “I’ve never been a runner.”But after winning SIU’s “Greatest Loser” challenge with a group of co-workers, Wappel set her sights on the Abe’s Amble 10K.Abe’s Army helps participants build endurance over the course of the summer by running a little farther each week. In the beginning, the group ran 1.6 miles and is now up to 3 miles.
Be sure and check out the entire article!
Week 6.
Monday (July 6):
P-3 miles
C-3.5 miles
Tuesday (July 7):
Cross train
Wednesday (July 8):
P-2-2.5 miles
C-3-3.5 miles
Track workout at Sacred Heart Griffin's Track-every Wednesday at 5:30 PM- All are welcome! This is not just for the speedy as you do run at your own pace. We can almost guarantee you that there will be someone else that also runs your speed! For more information regarding the summer track workouts, visit Katie's blog at http://www.runkt.blogspot.com/. This really is a lot of fun as Katie does make our track experience enjoyable.
Thursday (July 9):
P-2.5-3 miles
C-3.5-4 miles
Friday (July 10):
Off
Saturday (July 11):
P-4 miles
C-4.5 miles
Women's Distance Festival-2 miles
Washington Park
8:00 AM
Sunday (July 12):
P-Off
C-Cross train
P-3 miles
C-3.5 miles
Tuesday (July 7):
Cross train
Wednesday (July 8):
P-2-2.5 miles
C-3-3.5 miles
Track workout at Sacred Heart Griffin's Track-every Wednesday at 5:30 PM- All are welcome! This is not just for the speedy as you do run at your own pace. We can almost guarantee you that there will be someone else that also runs your speed! For more information regarding the summer track workouts, visit Katie's blog at http://www.runkt.blogspot.com/. This really is a lot of fun as Katie does make our track experience enjoyable.
Thursday (July 9):
P-2.5-3 miles
C-3.5-4 miles
Friday (July 10):
Off
Saturday (July 11):
P-4 miles
C-4.5 miles
Women's Distance Festival-2 miles
Washington Park
8:00 AM
Sunday (July 12):
P-Off
C-Cross train
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Stage Three: The Competitor. When Competition is the Main Driving Force.
This is part three of the Five Stages of a Runner. (See previous posts for stages one and two).
There is a competitive streak, sometimes hidden, in all of us. As we continue to run, it will most likely surface. If kept under control, the competitive urge can be a great motivator, stimulating you to train well and to push yourself further than you might have otherwise. But with many runners, competition, rather than the many other benefits of running, becomes the goal.You become a competitor when you start to plan your running around racing goals. It all starts innocently enough. After a few races you begin to wonder how fast you might run if you really trained. Before you know it you’re caught in a compulsive drive to run faster at the expense of running enjoyment.
Not all joggers enter this stage. Many simply remain joggers while a very few pass directly to the stage of “runner.” If you do find yourself becoming obsessed with competition, however, here are some things you might expect:
Initially the competitive spirit is exciting and rewarding. You’re running faster because of increased training. You read everything you can on training, stretching, nutrition, etc., and become somewhat of an expert on each. There are always new training techniques to try out and you give them all a whirl. (Only later do you realize that many of them are contradictory.)But as the competitive drive grows, you start feeling insecure. You no longer value your daily runs for their own worth, but think only of how well they prepare you for races and better times. Missing a run seems to spell racing doom. You can almost feel the fat being deposited on your body and see the seconds you fought hard to erase ticking back on the clock. When you hear of a workout a friend has performed before achieving a personal record, you have to match it or die trying.
Occasionally you’ll run alone, but often you’ll seek out small groups of better runners to train with and find you’re making every workout a race; you’ll push the pace to “victory” or make others earn theirs. In the same way, every race becomes a challenge to a new personal record. You may begin to choose races for the ease of terrain and lack of quality competition.
Once the competitive spirit has taken over you tend to lose sight of your limitations. If a small mileage increase brought about a small improvement, you’ll try large mileage increases to gain a large improvement. Although you’ve read many times about the need for rest, you feel that yours is a special case — you don’t need as much recovery time as other mortals. For weeks you may feel tired most of the time, yet have trouble sleeping at night. You become irritable and make life difficult for your family and friends. Finally you push too far and break down with injury, sickness or fatigue, and you either can’t or don’t want to run.
At this point you may feel betrayed by your body. Here you are trying to mold it into greatness and it won’t respond. You fail to realize the improvements you’ve made during the past months or year and only visualize your fitness slipping away, your goals going down the drain. Thinking that your body is tricking you (or that an injury layoff is a sign of weakness) you get back into training too soon. Trying to run through the problems only makes them worse and leads to new injuries, and you miss the very races you’ve pushed yourself so hard for.
Still, when the frustration has passed (and the pounds have settled back on) you’ll probably start running again. Hopefully you’ll have learned a lesson. You’ll “recycle” and work your way up the ladder again. When you’ve put competition into perspective you’ll pass into the stage of “athlete,” or even “runner.”
There are some very positive lessons to be learned from competition and fortunately not all competitors have to go to such extremes to learn them. Pushing through tiredness and discomfort in a race to a new personal record is not only rewarding in itself, but gives you an idea of what you can do in other areas of your life. Strengths we have never used lie buried in each of us. Being challenged to our limits through competition helps these surface. Competition can be the path-finding mission which allows us to map our inner resources. At the same time, experiencing some frustration and pain can help us realize our limitations. By struggling we discover a bit more about the person inside us; we can learn from our mistakes and move on to new heights.
There is a competitive streak, sometimes hidden, in all of us. As we continue to run, it will most likely surface. If kept under control, the competitive urge can be a great motivator, stimulating you to train well and to push yourself further than you might have otherwise. But with many runners, competition, rather than the many other benefits of running, becomes the goal.You become a competitor when you start to plan your running around racing goals. It all starts innocently enough. After a few races you begin to wonder how fast you might run if you really trained. Before you know it you’re caught in a compulsive drive to run faster at the expense of running enjoyment.
Not all joggers enter this stage. Many simply remain joggers while a very few pass directly to the stage of “runner.” If you do find yourself becoming obsessed with competition, however, here are some things you might expect:
Initially the competitive spirit is exciting and rewarding. You’re running faster because of increased training. You read everything you can on training, stretching, nutrition, etc., and become somewhat of an expert on each. There are always new training techniques to try out and you give them all a whirl. (Only later do you realize that many of them are contradictory.)But as the competitive drive grows, you start feeling insecure. You no longer value your daily runs for their own worth, but think only of how well they prepare you for races and better times. Missing a run seems to spell racing doom. You can almost feel the fat being deposited on your body and see the seconds you fought hard to erase ticking back on the clock. When you hear of a workout a friend has performed before achieving a personal record, you have to match it or die trying.
Occasionally you’ll run alone, but often you’ll seek out small groups of better runners to train with and find you’re making every workout a race; you’ll push the pace to “victory” or make others earn theirs. In the same way, every race becomes a challenge to a new personal record. You may begin to choose races for the ease of terrain and lack of quality competition.
Once the competitive spirit has taken over you tend to lose sight of your limitations. If a small mileage increase brought about a small improvement, you’ll try large mileage increases to gain a large improvement. Although you’ve read many times about the need for rest, you feel that yours is a special case — you don’t need as much recovery time as other mortals. For weeks you may feel tired most of the time, yet have trouble sleeping at night. You become irritable and make life difficult for your family and friends. Finally you push too far and break down with injury, sickness or fatigue, and you either can’t or don’t want to run.
At this point you may feel betrayed by your body. Here you are trying to mold it into greatness and it won’t respond. You fail to realize the improvements you’ve made during the past months or year and only visualize your fitness slipping away, your goals going down the drain. Thinking that your body is tricking you (or that an injury layoff is a sign of weakness) you get back into training too soon. Trying to run through the problems only makes them worse and leads to new injuries, and you miss the very races you’ve pushed yourself so hard for.
Still, when the frustration has passed (and the pounds have settled back on) you’ll probably start running again. Hopefully you’ll have learned a lesson. You’ll “recycle” and work your way up the ladder again. When you’ve put competition into perspective you’ll pass into the stage of “athlete,” or even “runner.”
There are some very positive lessons to be learned from competition and fortunately not all competitors have to go to such extremes to learn them. Pushing through tiredness and discomfort in a race to a new personal record is not only rewarding in itself, but gives you an idea of what you can do in other areas of your life. Strengths we have never used lie buried in each of us. Being challenged to our limits through competition helps these surface. Competition can be the path-finding mission which allows us to map our inner resources. At the same time, experiencing some frustration and pain can help us realize our limitations. By struggling we discover a bit more about the person inside us; we can learn from our mistakes and move on to new heights.
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