Ryan Hall: Vision
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #2)
Posted February 1st, 2008 at 1:45 PM by Ryan Hall
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall
Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Ryan Hall as he begins his quest for Olympic gold! Check back every other Friday for Ryan’s latest entry.
One of my favorite aspects of training in Mammoth is the “vision” that I get while I am up here. Let me clarify what I mean by “vision.” Vision is my mind’s-eye image of what’s possible. Vision is what inspires me to action, gives me the ample motivation to change, and – above all – gives me the belief of what is possible. On my runs these past two weeks I see London. I have a strong vision for the amazing opportunity that awaits me on April 13th and what could happen there.
I love to visualize myself on the streets of London when I am doing workouts. Whether I am pounding up the hill that leads up to Mammoth or doing intervals at our scenic Round Valley loop I see myself running well alongside the phenomenal field that I will face in London. I really believe that anything is possible.
From day one I have had a strong vision for my running. It has been exciting to begin to see the fruition of some of these visions, however, I feel like I am standing on the edge about to dive into something really special. With each race and buildup for the marathon I gain confidence and excitement for what can be done.
It has been a long road waiting to see these visions come to pass. There were many years at Stanford that I was tempted to give up on my vision, but God put people in my life who believed in me even when I stopped believing in myself. Without the encouragement of my parents and wife I am sure I would not be running today. I can remember sharing many frustrations with my parents while trying to make the tough adjustment to college life. I remember being consoled by Sara many times after finishing last place in many track races early in my collegiate career. But I can also remember times when I knew I was getting a glimpse of the future. One of my career highlights was 2003 XC Nationals when our team won, scoring just 24 points. I was blessed to have a good day and finish second, but what I remember most was the verse that was pulsing through my head during the race:
“Then the Lord answered me and said, ‘Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. (Hab. 2.2-3)’”
I admit that this is kind of a weird thought to be thinking during a national championship but I found it tremendously inspiring at the time because I knew that the Lord was giving me a glimpse of the vision He had given me. I still don’t feel like I have totally lived the vision God has given me for my running but it feels very near.
I believe that God puts a vision in all of us to do something special with our time here on earth. From my experience I know that there is nothing more satisfying than to spend our lives with our hands on the plow working towards the vision that we have for the greatness that God put within us. There may be times, like I experienced, when it all doesn’t seem worth it, when it seems like it would be far easier to give up than to pick ourselves up and get back after it. But it is worth it. I am so glad that I didn’t give up. Act on your vision.
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Photograph: Courtesy of NYRR
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Tags: American distance running, elite athlete, elite athlete blog, elite athlete blog series, elite runner, faith, flora london marathon, god, jesus, London Marathon, london2008, london2008news, Mammoth Lakes, marathon runner, professional running blog, Ryan Hall, sara hall, stanford, tfs elite athlete blog series, the final sprint elite athlete blog series, thefinalsprint.com elite athlete blog series, track and field, u.s. olympic mens marathon trials, vision
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The Final Sprint