Message from the Executive Director
Last week Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist Frank Shorter talked with students and volunteers at the YMCA. He was impressed not only with our efforts to commit to a marathon but also with our staying the course with such a long training season. He made reference to "hitting the wall" and the mental aspect to completing the task.
For many of us, the term “hitting the wall” will be familiar. For our novice runners, this occurs in endurance sports and describes the condition when an athlete suddenly loses energy and becomes fatigued, the result of glycogen stored in the liver and muscles becoming depleted. It is at that point in the race when one feels like they just cannot continue. We have heard Coach Al talk about "mind over matter." This will start to take on a new meaning for many of you as we work through the last two months of training. His mantra, “mind over matter” is what's needed for all of us to endure. It is the mental stamina to push one’s body forward when physically, the body seems it cannot go on.
As we all know, SRO uses the marathon to promote the values and rewards associated with training, commitment, and sacrifice. In a usual season we train for five months and in early March, we complete our goal – the LA Marathon. With the additional three months this year, our training season feels like a grind. I can see it on faces of many of you at the start of our Saturday runs. I can feel it in the tone and vibe on the campuses during the weekly practices. It’s present in the conversations with parents. And, yes, I hear it in myself as there are days that I truly wish we had already completed our goal.
We need to remember that the marathon is our vehicle for instilling important values that serve each of us well in life. This unexpected eight month season is perhaps a great metaphor for life situations. The LA Marathon organizers, similar to what can happen in life, threw us a curve ball. We decided not to back down from the additional challenge and to continue our original course. And now, six months into the season, metaphorically, many of us have “hit the wall.” We grimace, we complain, we have to talk ourselves into going to practice, and on those bad days, we may even try to convince ourselves that we should quit. But, we know from completing our half marathon a few weeks ago, or finishing the first run that was in double digits – it is "mind over matter."
Over the next few weeks let’s focus on getting over that "wall." Perhaps we can enlist our "head cheerleader" Ralph to do what he does so well – lead us to chant like we did at the beginning of the season, “Yes we can.” Let’s chant, “It's mind over matter and if you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” If you see someone who looks like they have hit the wall, pat them on the back and remind them that they can do it.
I know that we – SRO’s students, volunteers, and staff - will make it through this season. We will endure. We will make it over the “wall” and we will complete our journey victoriously on May 25th as we each cross the LA Marathon finish line.
Spencer Hooper, Executive Director
PS – If you see me with that grimace, like I just can’t take it any longer, please remind me that - Yes I can.
For many of us, the term “hitting the wall” will be familiar. For our novice runners, this occurs in endurance sports and describes the condition when an athlete suddenly loses energy and becomes fatigued, the result of glycogen stored in the liver and muscles becoming depleted. It is at that point in the race when one feels like they just cannot continue. We have heard Coach Al talk about "mind over matter." This will start to take on a new meaning for many of you as we work through the last two months of training. His mantra, “mind over matter” is what's needed for all of us to endure. It is the mental stamina to push one’s body forward when physically, the body seems it cannot go on.
As we all know, SRO uses the marathon to promote the values and rewards associated with training, commitment, and sacrifice. In a usual season we train for five months and in early March, we complete our goal – the LA Marathon. With the additional three months this year, our training season feels like a grind. I can see it on faces of many of you at the start of our Saturday runs. I can feel it in the tone and vibe on the campuses during the weekly practices. It’s present in the conversations with parents. And, yes, I hear it in myself as there are days that I truly wish we had already completed our goal.
We need to remember that the marathon is our vehicle for instilling important values that serve each of us well in life. This unexpected eight month season is perhaps a great metaphor for life situations. The LA Marathon organizers, similar to what can happen in life, threw us a curve ball. We decided not to back down from the additional challenge and to continue our original course. And now, six months into the season, metaphorically, many of us have “hit the wall.” We grimace, we complain, we have to talk ourselves into going to practice, and on those bad days, we may even try to convince ourselves that we should quit. But, we know from completing our half marathon a few weeks ago, or finishing the first run that was in double digits – it is "mind over matter."
Over the next few weeks let’s focus on getting over that "wall." Perhaps we can enlist our "head cheerleader" Ralph to do what he does so well – lead us to chant like we did at the beginning of the season, “Yes we can.” Let’s chant, “It's mind over matter and if you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” If you see someone who looks like they have hit the wall, pat them on the back and remind them that they can do it.
I know that we – SRO’s students, volunteers, and staff - will make it through this season. We will endure. We will make it over the “wall” and we will complete our journey victoriously on May 25th as we each cross the LA Marathon finish line.
Spencer Hooper, Executive Director
PS – If you see me with that grimace, like I just can’t take it any longer, please remind me that - Yes I can.
posted by Unknown at 9:11 PM
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