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2004 Olympic Games and Yachting in Greece
Everybody knows that the Olympic Games are due to be held in Athens in 2004. Apart from the accepted consequences, positive and negative, for the city of Athens and Greece in general this sporting extravaganza will seriously affect the yachting...
A Quick and Easy Guide to Indoor Rowing Machines
Did you know that rowing is one of the best exercises for developing aerobic fitness? Not only does working out with rowing machines or rowing ergometers allow people to develop their cardiovascular system, but they also place considerable...
A Woman's True Confession: I Finally Understand the Male Obsession with Football...
Football season is here, which means that for the next several weeks - 90% of the male population of the US will spend an enormous amount of their "free time" watching games on TV (the bigger the screen, the better), attending football games...
Ice Hockey History and the NHL
Even though the history of ice hockey began earlier than 1917, many people say that this was the year when the modern hockey history began. You probably already new this, but 1917 was the year when the first historical game of the National Hockey...
Wayne Gretzky Hockey Jerseys Are Available From All His Former Teams
Wayne Gretzky went from a talented kid that took his first strides on the rink his dad made for him in the backyard, to one of the greatest athletes in the history of professional sports. Notice that I said any sport, not only one of the greatest in...
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Why am I doing this; again?
All athletes train for various reasons. These reasons are what keep us going. It is important to regularly examine your motives and ambitions and to keep them close to you. Without an internal purpose to our training we are like old plow mules; slogging along because we always have. Without a purpose your enthusiasm to train and compete will eventually fade.
The first thing you must realize is that your motivations are unique and personal. You may train for social reasons, but not because your friend is making you. You may enjoy the support of your parents, but can not compete for them. This is one of the reasons children who are pushed too hard by the imposed ambitions of overzealous parents often lose interest in a sport. The child has lost the internal motivation to participate (fun) and generally does not stay involved long term. Make sure reasons you train are your reasons.
Secondly, define your reason. Be specific and write them down. Visualize the payoff of your training. If one of your reasons is fitness, visualize yourself as the fit and hardened individual you will become. Perhaps you have a specific personal goal in mind. Constantly remind yourself what that goal is, and how the work out you are performing now will get you there.
There are so many positive aspects to being an athlete beyond the physical benefits. I personally believe the characteristics of a successful athlete transfer to many areas of life outside the competitive arena. Characteristics such as discipline, overcoming adversity,
risk taking, personal sacrifice, sportsmanship, consistency, and hard work reinforce good character. These reasons may not be as concrete as winning a race, but I believe they will carry you farther.
If you are training mainly for the joy of competing, you may wake up one morning and realize that it is no longer fun for you. If that is the case, it is time to move on to something else, perhaps another sport, something new and interesting. This change in motivation is natural, and is not a result of deficient character, it is part of life.
Endurance athletes are unique animals. The training takes more hours than most sports, and is usually solitary. Successful training for endurance sports requires you to train through all seasons, terrible weather, and early mornings when you would rather be in bed. Even the pros make little money relative to other sports, and receive little recognition beyond the endurance sport community. If fame, fortune, and adoration are your motivators you are in the wrong sport. Endurance sports arguably require greater fortitude and discipline. Know what the payoff is for your efforts, and you will be a more motivated, successful, and happy athlete.
About the Author
Matt Russ has coached and trained athletes around the country and internationally. He currently holds licenses by USAT, USATF, and is an Expert level USAC coach. Matt has coached athletes for CTS (Carmichael Training Systems), is an Ultrafit Associate. Visit www.thesportfactory.com for more information.
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