Monday, August 31, 2015

The Real Prize

I believe it is essential to challenge ourselves physically. I believe one of the best ways of doing this is through competition. Preparing for competition accomplishes many things. It gives us a goal; demands that we be organized, disciplined and following a plan.
As a word of caution, I would add that too many people equate athletic success with trophies, medals and age group victories. Those 'successes' are superficial and temporary. The real,deeper benefits are described below by the Australian athlete/coach/philosopher Percy Cerutty:

 "Perhaps the greatest success is found when we achieve victory over ourselves. And that, perhaps, is the greatest reward that can be obtained from participation in athletics and sport, generally--the victory over our own nature, our  weaknesses, our tendency, perhaps, to rush to alibis, palliatives, and excuses, rather than to admit our moments of weakness: of capitulation(surrender). So we come to the realization that the qualitative factor in success is purely personal, and that it is not something that can be measured only by the distance ran, the time recorded, the weight lifted or thrown, the height jumped, or the victories achieved over others. In this way success is subjective although the aims and ambitions may appear purely objective."

Monday, August 24, 2015

Strength/Weight Training

Many times I have been asked by runners and others as to what is a good overall weight/strength program. Below is that program. It originated as a letter to a friend but I thought I would offer it up to those who read this blog. Percy Cerutty recognized the necessity of weight/strength training. The following is inspired by him. One thing before you begin--if you are a serious competitive runner--you may want to substitute exercise #5 with the deadlift. Percy believed that serious, competitive distance runners should not do squats but he was a big proponent of the Deadlift.


Friday, August 21, 2015

Code of Conduct



Below are the traits needed to achieve athletic success, written by someone who achieved much:

* Dedication and Persistence.

* A passion and love for your chosen sport.

*Competitiveness.

*Focus.

* Strong work ethic.

The often forgotten trait, 'A passion and love for your chosen sport.' When you truly love your sport, the training rarely, if ever, seems like work.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Serious Athlete?



Serious athletes: Have goals,have a plan to achieve those goals,recognize that there will be ups and downs along the way, they know what their workout will be when they wake up in the morning and what that workout is trying to accomplish, they don't view the day's training session as something to "get in" between work and what they have planned for the evening, they never rush a workout so they can move on to something else,they recognize that each day their running(or training) is taking them one step closer to their goal,they think about and evaluate their training daily,ultimately,they view their training and running as a labour of love,an integral part of who they are.
The above applies to all goal seeking.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Taking Risks



"To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.


To live is to risk dying.


To hope is to risk despair.


To try is to risk failure.


But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.


The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.


They may avoid suffering and sorrow but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow love, live.


Chained by their certitudes they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom.


Only a person who risks is free."


Author Unknown

Who was it that said, most people live lives  of quiet desperation?

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Yes You Can!


Sometimes in our desire for success a little voice inside says that we don't have the 'goods' or the talent, that it's other people meant for success, not us. Consider the following by philosopher, coach and athlete, Percy Cerutty.  He worked with athletes of varying skills, talent and ages.

"I do admit freely, frankly and fully, that we are not all born equal in graces, brains and ability, but I do affirm that no power exists,  human or superhuman, that opposes the genuine aspirations and sincere attempts of any personality to advance itself."

In all of us is the ability to go beyond what we think we can accomplish.

Sometimes I wonder if saying we can't, really means, I don't want to bother trying, I don't want to make the effort.