Olympic Inspiration
I really enjoyed the Olympics more this year than any previous summer Olympics and I think it is due to the many inspiring stories that occurred over the two week games. While there are so many, here are my favorites within the Track & Field sport.
Sarah Attar:
Running for Saudi Arabia in the women's marathon, Sarah Attar is a runner for Oiselle that I have followed since 2012 when she ran in London. Besides her beautiful photography that I follow on Instagram, she is best known as the first female runner that Saudi Arabia has sent to the Olympics. She was especially inspirational to me this year as she finished in second to last place yet she was still satisfied with her accomplishment and achieved a personal best. Despite knowing she would not receive a medal for her country, she took in the experience and enjoyed the race, often providing words of support to other runners who were struggling in the heat. She may not have won a medal, but she definitely embodies a heart of gold. Surprisingly, we can have the best race of our lives with the right attitude and it is important to have fun and enjoy the experience whether we win or lose.
Desi Linden:
I mentioned Desi in a previous post, but I loved following her journey to the Olympics and was thrilled at the 7th place she accomplished in the women's marathon. Even more inspiring was her quote, "That's as good as I am". She did not make excuses or comparisons to the other runners who finished ahead of her. She did not talk negatively about her performance and what she should have done. Instead, she focused on celebrating what she felt was the best performance she could have put out there and walked away with no regrets. We all get caught up in comparing ourselves to others, and it is easy to feel dissatisfied with our performance when we do. As runners we are really running against ourselves and therefore should only make comparisons to our own performance. If we leave it all out on the race course, it does not matter if you finish in first or last. An achievement does not need to be a first place medal or a place on the podium. It can be a 6 min PR, not walking during a race, or running negative splits. Whatever you do that shows growth and improvement is something to be celebrated. Those accomplishments should not be negated because someone else ran faster or because you finished last. Desi's mentality is something I really admire and I hope to channel her positive vibes in moments where I get caught in the comparison trap.
Meb Keflezighi:
No one embodies positivity and hard work more than Meb. Due to stomach issues Meb did not have the Olympic performance he had hoped for, but instead of dropping out he completed the race because that's what Meb does. Meb works hard and never gives up, and he wants to be a good role model for his kids and millions of others that look to him for inspiration. Despite falling right at the finish line, he turned his slip into a push-up and that right there is why people love Meb. Meb never gave up and even knowing his finish was not what he had hoped for, he turned it into a positive moment. He talked about how proud he was to represent the USA, and I have to say, there are few that represented as well as him.
D’Agostino and Hamblin:
Sarah Attar:
Running for Saudi Arabia in the women's marathon, Sarah Attar is a runner for Oiselle that I have followed since 2012 when she ran in London. Besides her beautiful photography that I follow on Instagram, she is best known as the first female runner that Saudi Arabia has sent to the Olympics. She was especially inspirational to me this year as she finished in second to last place yet she was still satisfied with her accomplishment and achieved a personal best. Despite knowing she would not receive a medal for her country, she took in the experience and enjoyed the race, often providing words of support to other runners who were struggling in the heat. She may not have won a medal, but she definitely embodies a heart of gold. Surprisingly, we can have the best race of our lives with the right attitude and it is important to have fun and enjoy the experience whether we win or lose.
Desi Linden:
I mentioned Desi in a previous post, but I loved following her journey to the Olympics and was thrilled at the 7th place she accomplished in the women's marathon. Even more inspiring was her quote, "That's as good as I am". She did not make excuses or comparisons to the other runners who finished ahead of her. She did not talk negatively about her performance and what she should have done. Instead, she focused on celebrating what she felt was the best performance she could have put out there and walked away with no regrets. We all get caught up in comparing ourselves to others, and it is easy to feel dissatisfied with our performance when we do. As runners we are really running against ourselves and therefore should only make comparisons to our own performance. If we leave it all out on the race course, it does not matter if you finish in first or last. An achievement does not need to be a first place medal or a place on the podium. It can be a 6 min PR, not walking during a race, or running negative splits. Whatever you do that shows growth and improvement is something to be celebrated. Those accomplishments should not be negated because someone else ran faster or because you finished last. Desi's mentality is something I really admire and I hope to channel her positive vibes in moments where I get caught in the comparison trap.
Meb Keflezighi:
No one embodies positivity and hard work more than Meb. Due to stomach issues Meb did not have the Olympic performance he had hoped for, but instead of dropping out he completed the race because that's what Meb does. Meb works hard and never gives up, and he wants to be a good role model for his kids and millions of others that look to him for inspiration. Despite falling right at the finish line, he turned his slip into a push-up and that right there is why people love Meb. Meb never gave up and even knowing his finish was not what he had hoped for, he turned it into a positive moment. He talked about how proud he was to represent the USA, and I have to say, there are few that represented as well as him.
D’Agostino and Hamblin:
Unless you have been living under a rock, the story of D’Agostino and Hamblin has been everywhere and for good reason. Hamblin clipped D’Agostino during the 5,000m race and both women fell, only to get back up and help each other finish. D’Agostino was hurt in the fall and Hamblin helped her cross the finish line. I think what people love so much about this story is that it represents a kind of sportsmanship that is lost in this day and age. Unfortunately you hear a lot of stories of "every man for himself" and sadly I think most women would have kept on running or pointed fingers and assigned blame. At the end of the day, we are humans first and athletes, mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, etc. second. When our days are numbered, we want to look back on the things that defined who we are as people and being kind and compassionate is what I hope most would chose. Ironically some athletes such as Ryan Lochte may have won a medal, but will be remembered for unfortunate actions outside of the swimming pool. D’Agostino and Hamblin did not win medals, but they still achieved Olympic glory and prestigious awards that really do reflect who they are as humans.
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