A Perspective on Winning

[tommy]

I picked this up from Joe' Henderson's online commentary this week. Joe's link is after the quote. For athletic types, and those that wish someday, maybe, that you might like to possibly get more active ........ This is an excerpt on 4 levels of winning. Something for everyone!

"The first is starting, taking the first great leap into a sport. Just by doing that, you've already outrun everyone who hasn't yet started or never will.

The second level of winning is finishing what you set out to do, be it a mile or a marathon. By finishing, you've beaten everyone who started but dropped out early.

The third level of winning is improving. You're granted about 10 years of improvement, and getting faster or going longer doesn't require beating anyone else, only a time or a distance.

The final level of winning is continuing after the improvement stops, as it surely will if you run enough years. Slower and shorter running still beat no running at all. "

http://http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/

 

[msiwik]

good message

good message

Glad to see there is another person who admires Joe H's work too! Greetings from the Outer Banks - what a difference a year makes. A year ago, I was struggling to run 11:00 to 11:30 minute miles a couple of months after surgery. This year, I am focused on doing four-mile tempo runs at an 8:30 pace (first one was great success today). Have to admit - am running indoors though on a treadmill; will save running in the heat to next year's vacation when more of my conditioning has returned.

 

[MarkU]

Thanks for sharing Tommy. Kind of a more sophisticated (& polite) version of the triathlete's mantra:

DFL > DNF > DNS

where:

DFL = Dead F****** Last
DNF = Did Not Finish
DNS = Did Not Start

Mark

 

[mbfleth]

Just to get all of the Marks on the same thread...

I ran a very small race in May. I was DFL in my age group and still "won" a medal for third place in my age group. It was my first 10k in twenty years, I was just glad to be under 10 minutes.
I have marked this race again for next year. Anywhere that DFL gets a medal is tops in my book.