Lessons from Emil Zatopek quotes

(Team update: even though we are so young, we still placed 3rd out of 10 teams. These guys are giving me a lot. I'm going to keep requesting more though.  The following is their motivational reading for meet number 2 next week.)

The Start

In the 1952 Olympics, Emil Zatopek won the 5K… then he won the 10K….

He then went on to also win the Marathon, (his first time to ever run a marathon).  All 3 races occurred within 8 days of each other and he set new Olympic records in all 3 events. It was at the starting line of this Olympic Marathon that Emil famously said:

“Men, today we die a little.”

Emil knew what he was about to do to his body, and he embraced it.  What are you thinking when you stand at the starting line?  Are you dreading what you’re about to have to do? Are you anxious? Nervous?.... Or… Have you accepted the sacrifices you have to make for a good race?  Do you approach the line with determination and resolve like a warrior entering battle?

The Race

“It's at the borders of pain and suffering

 that the men are separated from the boys.”

The race is run on a border, a precipice. Over that cliff is pure pain and suffering. The Boys run safely away from the edge, never risking their comfort, never approaching the danger zone.  The Men run right along the line, they risk everything, they flirt with death.  They laugh at the pain and suffering.  How do you want to run your race? As a boy? Or as a MAN?
The Finish

            In describing his Olympic experience, Emil said:

"I was unable to walk for a whole week after that,

so much did the race take out of me.

But it was the most pleasant exhaustion I have ever known."

          Only a runner would describe the experience of not being able to walk for a week as ‘pleasant.’  How are you going to feel when you finish today? Will you regret not going hard enough?  Will you question what could have been? …Or… Will you know it was everything you had in you?  Will you lay down tonight in post-race soreness bliss?  Will you experience the pleasure and pride that come from a race well ran?

Prepare as Warriors

Race like Men

Finish in Ecstatic Exhaustion

A Preview of the Season(and meet 1 motivation)

So where does Crockett XC stand? Well It's a scary place.  But I believe I'm up for the challenge.  As of right now I have a strong number 1 (he's being recruited by colleges). My number 2 is injured and out for the season.  My number 3 (now my number 2) is a strong sophomore.  And then.... I have a bunch of inexpereinced freshmen.  And they are going to have to step up.  They are cool kids, but they have no idea what is going to be asked of them.  I won't let them being young be an excuse to not meet our goal.  And our goal hasn't changed: it's to return yet again to the State Championship.  Someone once said 'Cross Country is like poker; you got to have 5 good cards to win.'  I wonder who my last 3 cards will be.

So that being said, here is their meet motivation for the first meet which is next Tuesday.  It begins with our quote of the year; the quote the team voted on (which just happens to be a quote from my husband.... and yes that will be weird for me wearing a t-shirt all year with my husband's name on it)

“The Path of Glory is Paved with the Pain of Discipline”

There’s a reason I never have to hold tryouts, there’s a reason we are few in number, and there’s a reason we are respected by other athletes and coaches who know what we do. 

You are still here, therefore:

you have perseverance.

you have mental strength.

you have high pain thresholds. 

you have said yes to discomfort.

you have said yes to running mile after mile after monotonous mile.

And you have something inside of you that most people do not.

If you are here, then you have submitted to the pain of discipline

If you are here, then you are already on the path of glory.

For most of you, today is your first high school XC 5K race. So here’s what you need to know about meet day. They are a blast: getting out of school early, the van rides, the banter, intimidating the other teams, the stupid juvenile games at the start line, getting medals, going out to eat after… everything is fun… except the race. And we have fun on meet day because we know that for the race, for that 20 minutes, it’s going to be hell.  It’s nothing but pure agony, torment, misery, and anguish from start to finish. It’s feeling like you’re going to die, it’s wanting to die because that would be an escape from the pain of the race.  It’s your mind screaming at you to slow down and your spirit telling it to shut the **** up. It’s running harder than you ever have and knowing next week you’ll have to run even harder. 

The XC season is a war and every race is a battle, a battle against other runners yes, but mostly it’s a battle between your mind and your body, your will and your instinct.  This is why I call you my warriors.  So, Newbies, have fun… but don’t be fooled; when the gun goes off, you run headfirst into the pain. Embrace hell for 20 minutes, and come out glorious on the other side.

Captainship

Today we begin a new school year, and with that, a new Cross Country season.  One of the things I am most excited about this season is my 2 captains.  I have been blessed with 2 incredible leaders. And so it is fitting that the first of my many posts about XC through the fall be about captainship:

A good team captain is:

One who is a dominant leader: he leads by his actions more than his words: he is the hardest worker on the team, he endures the most critiques, he respects the coaches the most, he helps out without being asked to, he keeps his teammates on task, and he genuinely loves his teammates.

A Captain always looks out for his fellow team members (on and off the field) and always has their back. (if he disagrees with the team member, he expresses it privately; in public he has their back)

Good team captains are the ones that pick their team up when they're down (sometimes through humor, sometimes by kicking their butts... Whichever is deemed appropriate by the captain) they encourage them to keep striving for their goals, rather than giving up.

Captains are always analyzing what goes on at practice and meets.  They have realistic views of what's being done well as well as what needs improvement. They discuss these views with their coach (in a respectful way) and are willing to work to do more than their part in making the improvements they see that are needed.

While most of the team are at home sleeping, captains are the ones working hard daily to improve their performance for the better of the team and themselves.

Good team captains are the ones that always try to keep a fun and positive environment between the runners; they give admiration and respect to teammates, and they always have an open mind to the opinions and suggestions from them.

Captains must be DEDICATED to their team as well as DEDICATED to their coach (setting an example for younger runners at all times). They're the ones always talking plans and working with the coaches to formulate ways of improving the team for their ultimate goal. They put in the most time and the most energy.

A good team captain must be able to connect with his teammates on various levels. He helps with the sport, with school, with family and social problems, with personal issues... Everything.

Captains are the ones who take full responsibility for the way their team performed when they had a bad meet.  Yet they more than share the glory when their team had a good meet.

A captain is one that is willing to assist their teammates in any way possible. Whether  it’s staying a few hours after practice working on a weakness, helping with homework, or even just communicating with them, giving guidance for any problems they may be having.

Good team captains must also be able to balance their schoolwork with their meets, practices, and teammates; and still be able to make time for other friends and family: always showing younger runners that life is about balance.