3 Lessons from Olympic Runners
Are you watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics? The Summer events are always fun – especially for runners! When the track & field events start, runners around the world will be glued to their TV’s to check out these accomplished athletes. But the Olympics are more than just entertainment, they are also a source of inspiration. There are many lessons that can be learned from Olympic athletes, and these are three to consider as you watch this summer.
Set Big Goals & Believe In Yourself
The Olympic Athletes would not be in Tokyo today if they didn’t set big goals and trust themselves that they could achieve them. Sometimes, setting a big goal that almost feels impossible is exactly what you need to push yourself to the next level.
There’s nothing more exciting than seeing an athlete win Gold or beat a world record who did not expect they could make that achievement. But they challenged themselves to make it happen - and they did it!
By setting goals for yourself, you have something tangible to work toward, and it will be easier to accomplish. Next time you hit the trail, challenge yourself to improve your time, run further than you have before, or try a new challenging trail. You may surprise yourself!
Failure is Okay – But Don’t Let it Define You
We all fail. We have bad races, bad days, and make mistakes. Olympic athletes make mistakes all along their journey - they’re humans just like us. But they take that failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. Instead of letting it get them down, they take time to reflect, then come back to training with a new perspective and lesson. Sometimes, we fail when we get too focused on the wrong things, instead of remembering that we do this sport for fun, community, and other positive reasons. View failures as an opportunity for growth, then get back on the trail (after appropriate rest time, of course!)
Value Rest Time
We all know rest is extremely important in reducing the chance of injury. But as we’ve seen this year with Simone Biles and other athletes, listening to your body and taking time off when you need is of the utmost importance to protect yourself. If you are fatigued, or have suffered a slight injury, do not risk putting your body through an intense workout.
The best thing about rest, is that athletes often come out stronger on the other side. Time and time again we hear stories of olympians who suffered career-ending injuries and accidents, only to come back and win gold the next year. By taking time to rest and heal from injuries, then retraining, you can continue to run for decades to come. These athletes don’t just rush back onto the track – they take their time and only compete again when they are truly ready.
Have the Olympics left you feeling inspired to take your running to the next level? Schedule a consultation with Oregon Running Clinic and run faster, further, and stronger than before.