We Bounce Back and Start New Things.....
.....inspired by others of all ages -- Elle, 10, and Charlene, 77, both below.
Elle, 10
Charlene, 77
Ask this sample collage of wide-ranging athletes (beginners to professionals) whether they’d have been surprised two years ago by what would happen two years later….. and they’d have said “yes”.
The point? Try something new. Reclaim something old. It’s never too late to surprise yourself. Here are athletes in new situations/sports. What helped? Embracing the uncomfortable. Valuing experimentation. Practicing patience. Adding humor. Staying calm in stressful moments. And more.
Stulberg and Magness’s stress some of these concepts in their new book, Peak Performance (2017). Reducing perception of effort even during intense exercise improves performance. Writing down your larger purpose also helps, and as Stulberg and Magness write (p. 182), “Your purpose can change over time. As a matter of fact, it should! Perhaps the only constant in life is change. Revisit this process as often as you like.”
So who are some of these athletes?
Experienced, passionate hiker and masters runner with an age group ranking of number 4 in the world, Julie Craig, might be surprised she’d be competing in mountain races, recently placing 5th overall (and winning her age division, 50 – 54) in the Fells Mountain Race in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.
Marathon age group winner Sue Gustafson (3:06:09 at age 54) might not have thought she’d take up race walking when sciatica sidelined her from running….and then get over the sciatica and be running track intervals again.
Member of a world record setting 4 X 800 meter relay team (W 40 – 49) Eileen Troy would not have entered the 2017 national masters 5K cross country championships. But, inspired by her granddaughter, Elle, 10 (above) she did.. “I swore I’d never do that race again,” said Eileen. “But then I thought if Elle is doing it, why can’t I?”
In 2016 competitive runner, strong swimmer, and aquathloner, Kate Butler would have been surprised to think that in 2017 she’d have entered an aquathlon and conquered a fear of open water. “When there’s a new physical challenge it boosts your confidence in other activities. I had more confidence to push the run after the swim."
Age-group winning runner Gina Shield wouldn’t have thought she’d run her best times at 49 and 50, start swimming, and place second overall in her first aquathlon.
Accomplished hiker and leader of hikers Cheryl Suchors who mastered the 48 4,000 Footers in New Hampshire wouldn’t have thought that she’d be biking routinely on the Peleton as part of her training.
In early 2016 U.S. national rowing team member Jane Demers wouldn’t have thought she’d be swimming in open water mile races and lower her mile swim time from 1:04 (swimming “way wide” of the buoys) to 45 minutes.
Two years ago competitive age group distance runner Francesca Dominici hadn’t pictured competing in an Olympic distance triathlon.
And Category 3 cyclist, age group winning runner (and race car driver) Neal Heffron would never have thought he’d try aqua running as part of his training.
Betsy Miller wouldn’t have thought she’d be competing in mile open water swims – or competing with friends from high school.
Silver medalist sprinter in the Senior Games Inez Kelleher would never have thought she’d be swimming and complete an aquathlon.
French national team runner Liv Westphal might not have predicted she’d now be running for Nike now.
And new runners Esra Burdak and Heli Carlisle wouldn’t have thought they race a 5K as fast as they did. (Esra began last year by a routine of alternating 15 seconds of jogging with 45 seconds of walking.)
Paddle tennis, tennis player, and cyclist Sandra Comerchero might not have thought that she’d lower her mile pace from a 12.5 minute mile to a 10.5 minute mile in three months.
Antonia Hieronymus might not have thought she’d complete the Boston Marathon in 2017.
Tennis and paddle tennis player Maureen Marota might not have believed she’d be swimming again.
I (and orthopedic doctors) wouldn’t have thought I’d be running in aquathlons with a problematic knee.
And Charlene Francis, 76, wouldn’t have thought that she’d still be racing 5Ks and inspiring everyone else…… “That’s for sure,” she just said. “I just ran six miles with my son yesterday. He said, ‘Mom, I’m so sore’. I told him ‘You probably did overdo it. Take a rest day and ice your quads.’ He laughed at me. I am so proud of him.
In parting, Charlene added the most powerful comment about her recent running, given her decades of experience. “Everything is coming together AGAIN. It’s just incredible!”
The point? Try something new. Reclaim something old. It’s never too late to surprise yourself. Here are athletes in new situations/sports. What helped? Embracing the uncomfortable. Valuing experimentation. Practicing patience. Adding humor. Staying calm in stressful moments. And more.
Stulberg and Magness’s stress some of these concepts in their new book, Peak Performance (2017). Reducing perception of effort even during intense exercise improves performance. Writing down your larger purpose also helps, and as Stulberg and Magness write (p. 182), “Your purpose can change over time. As a matter of fact, it should! Perhaps the only constant in life is change. Revisit this process as often as you like.”
So who are some of these athletes?
Experienced, passionate hiker and masters runner with an age group ranking of number 4 in the world, Julie Craig, might be surprised she’d be competing in mountain races, recently placing 5th overall (and winning her age division, 50 – 54) in the Fells Mountain Race in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.
Marathon age group winner Sue Gustafson (3:06:09 at age 54) might not have thought she’d take up race walking when sciatica sidelined her from running….and then get over the sciatica and be running track intervals again.
Member of a world record setting 4 X 800 meter relay team (W 40 – 49) Eileen Troy would not have entered the 2017 national masters 5K cross country championships. But, inspired by her granddaughter, Elle, 10 (above) she did.. “I swore I’d never do that race again,” said Eileen. “But then I thought if Elle is doing it, why can’t I?”
In 2016 competitive runner, strong swimmer, and aquathloner, Kate Butler would have been surprised to think that in 2017 she’d have entered an aquathlon and conquered a fear of open water. “When there’s a new physical challenge it boosts your confidence in other activities. I had more confidence to push the run after the swim."
Age-group winning runner Gina Shield wouldn’t have thought she’d run her best times at 49 and 50, start swimming, and place second overall in her first aquathlon.
Accomplished hiker and leader of hikers Cheryl Suchors who mastered the 48 4,000 Footers in New Hampshire wouldn’t have thought that she’d be biking routinely on the Peleton as part of her training.
In early 2016 U.S. national rowing team member Jane Demers wouldn’t have thought she’d be swimming in open water mile races and lower her mile swim time from 1:04 (swimming “way wide” of the buoys) to 45 minutes.
Two years ago competitive age group distance runner Francesca Dominici hadn’t pictured competing in an Olympic distance triathlon.
And Category 3 cyclist, age group winning runner (and race car driver) Neal Heffron would never have thought he’d try aqua running as part of his training.
Betsy Miller wouldn’t have thought she’d be competing in mile open water swims – or competing with friends from high school.
Silver medalist sprinter in the Senior Games Inez Kelleher would never have thought she’d be swimming and complete an aquathlon.
French national team runner Liv Westphal might not have predicted she’d now be running for Nike now.
And new runners Esra Burdak and Heli Carlisle wouldn’t have thought they race a 5K as fast as they did. (Esra began last year by a routine of alternating 15 seconds of jogging with 45 seconds of walking.)
Paddle tennis, tennis player, and cyclist Sandra Comerchero might not have thought that she’d lower her mile pace from a 12.5 minute mile to a 10.5 minute mile in three months.
Antonia Hieronymus might not have thought she’d complete the Boston Marathon in 2017.
Tennis and paddle tennis player Maureen Marota might not have believed she’d be swimming again.
I (and orthopedic doctors) wouldn’t have thought I’d be running in aquathlons with a problematic knee.
And Charlene Francis, 76, wouldn’t have thought that she’d still be racing 5Ks and inspiring everyone else…… “That’s for sure,” she just said. “I just ran six miles with my son yesterday. He said, ‘Mom, I’m so sore’. I told him ‘You probably did overdo it. Take a rest day and ice your quads.’ He laughed at me. I am so proud of him.
In parting, Charlene added the most powerful comment about her recent running, given her decades of experience. “Everything is coming together AGAIN. It’s just incredible!”