Today is the most anticipated day of my summer: the opening ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games. In fact, it's the first time in my life that I can actually remember anticipating these Olympics very much at all. Perhaps it's because I was just in London this past April, and now I'm obsessed beyond the point of a healthy addiction. Perhaps it's because this is the first year I've noticed that there are other Olympic sports besides gymnastics. Perhaps it's because of Ryan Lochte. But most likely it's because I've realized that this is one of the only times that the most underappreciated sport of all time finally gets somewhat of the spotlight it deserves. I'm talking running, not just track and field, but the marathon too.
Ryan Hall, Galen Rupp, Evan Jager, Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher, and the list goes on and on. These people are certifiably insane, and honestly, I've never met or heard of a truly successful runner who isn't. 120 mile weeks, 18 mile tempo runs, two-a-days, three-a-days. As a well-seasoned runner myself, this shocks me, so I can't even begin to imagine what the general public thinks of it. And yet, I would venture to say that 90% of the so-called "avid" Olympic trial viewers have never heard the names listed at the beginning of this paragraph, and many still will be clueless two and a half weeks from now. But in my opinion, they deserve so much more. The time they put in, the effort they constantly give, and the pain they endure on a daily basis cannot and should not go unnoticed.
While these runners may make it seem "easy", it most assuredly is not. Even if running has never interested you, I challenge you to give it one more shot in the coming days. And if you take nothing away from it, at least learn from their work ethic and undefeatable attitude. After all, hard work and an unquenchable thirst to push past any obstacle thrown your way are two ingredients for a wonderful - and wanderfull - life.
No comments:
Post a Comment