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Even the best athletes don't always
accomplish what they set out to do. But,
they do take what they've learned from each
event and use it in building for the next.
It's a measure of character to deal with
disappointment and move on.
Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall, the clear winners in their respective marathon trials, both suffered disappointments in their races at the Olympics. Deena withdrew early in her race with a broken bone in her foot. Ryan finished tenth place in 2:12:33 -- a respectable showing, but not the notable finish he's had in his prior marathons. (By the way, if you haven't seen Peter Hessler's New Yorker interview with Ryan, it provides a great overview of American distance running, along with insights into Ryan). Both Deena and Ryan dealt with their disappointments in ways that can speak to us all. We frequently come up short in life. It's continuing to move forward that counts. [If you don't see Deena Kastor in a
Flotrack window below
this text, click
here for the video].
[If you don't see Ryan Hall in a Flotrack
window below
this text, click
here for the video].
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All or nothing. Law professor and author,
Tim Wu authored a
series of online dispatches
on the Beijing Olympics. During his time as
an Olympic spectator, he developed a
fascination with the "suspense, strategy, and
aesthetic purity" of weightlifting.
While he saw high points like Usain Bolt's 100m record and Michael Phelps' 8th gold, he was unexpectedly captivated the by binary purity of weightlifting where "the bar is grasped and thrown overhead. The results are never ambiguous. Triumph is complete; failure is total". Olympic weightlifting competition is based on
the combined amount of weight lifted in two
explosive lifts: the snatch (from the floor
to overhead in one motion) and the clean &
jerk (from the floor to overhead in two
motions, cleaning to the chest and then
jerking the bar overhead). A weightlifting
competition involves strategy
combined with bluffing worthy of a
high stakes poker game.
Former gymnast Melanie
Roach (pictured above) took up
weightlifting as part of a post-injury rehab
program. She blossomed in this new sport
becoming the top ranked US female and the
first to clean & jerk twice her body weight.
Injury
prior to the 2000 Olympics led to retirement,
were followed by surgery and a return to
competition in the Beijing Games. Melanie
missed a medal, but did set a new US record.
[If you don't see Melanie Roach in a
YouTube window below
this text, click
here for the video].
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We have a busy fall ahead. In September
we'll be sponsoring a team at the Reach the
Beach Relay and then the following week
we'll be at the USAT
National Championships
in Portland, OR.
Sincerely,
Mark Connell
nuBound
email:
thebounce@nubound.net
phone:
888.480.NUCLeotide (or 888.480.6825)
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| From the archives of The Bounce . . . |
| Advanced DNA/RNA Sports Supplement |
Train Harder
Perform Better
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