this is kara goucher. who is she...she is an amazing team USA runner. why i like her? cause she is fast...and she is like most of us. she runs cause she likes to push herself and because she feels it is her talent. she wants to compete because she is a fighter. i say she is like most of us, because she, an elite athlete she battles with self-confidence. i would too if i was running a 10,000meter race (thats a 10k on a track about 25 laps) with the fastest athletes in the world!! i am lucky the only person i'm running against is myself and even then i sometimes find it hard to tell myself that i can do it!!
Kara is an amazing athlete and has accomplished so much. you can learn more about her specific accomplishments here: http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Goucher_kara.asp
i want to share a quick story about kara and how though she is a super athlete she is honest as well.
when kara was a senior in high school she was running a cross country meet and she was leading the pack by 25yards she was gaining on everyone. but there was one girl she just couldn't pull away from...right at her side, shoulder to shoulder was an eighth grader. and if that wasn't bad enough that eighth grader at her side was also her little sister. finally kara turned to her sister and said, "its ok, you can pass me." and her little sister did. that race killed kara's self-confidence. getting beat is hard, but always harder when you get beat my someone you know, and love, and how the rest of the community will say, "you let your little sister beat you?"
after that race, every time she lined up for a race she thought of her little sister beating her...it was a memory that took a long time to get over.
i have read several article about kara, and have become a fan. she is talented, strong, and an extreme competitor. but she is also like most us and battles those silly thoughts that come into our mind and tell us we can't do something, or that we aren't good enough. i know i battle those thoughts and more, but i also have thoughts that tell me 'i can do it, and that i am strong, and that if i work hard enough it will come.' so i enjoy reading that someone as athletic and as accomplished as kara has to tell herself she can do it! that sometimes she has good days/races, and sometimes she has bad days/races.
(yes thats paula radcliffe and kara, what amazing athletes)
this is another article that is titled, "mind games" as it refers to kara's mental focus and challenges of winning. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-243-297--13431-0,00.html
i share this with you, because i think it helps us to know that there are other people in the world that repeat a 'mantra' to keep the good thoughts and praises keeping us properly motivated. i know i feel better that kara with her rockin bod, and her rockin talents works with a sports psychologist to help keep her thoughts on positive. here is another recent article about kara, she may have had a bad race but she is ready to move on!
so the bottom line is...its normal to doubt yourself, but the important thing is, is to over come those thoughts and know deep down that you can be and do anything you want!!
No comments:
Post a Comment