Ryan Hall: Keeping Perspective
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #4)
Posted March 4th, 2008 at 4:56 PM by Ryan Hall
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, 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 at http://ryanhall.thefinalsprint.com/
To be completely honest, I was bummed after XC Nationals. I was in good shape and ready to go, or so I thought. My expectations were high and I was hoping to kick off 2008 with a bang, so I was naturally a little bent when things didn’t turn out how I had hoped. Finishing fifth wasn’t a terrible performance and my hat goes off to Dathan and the rest of the guys on the team (I am sure we will all be proud of how they represent the US at Worlds), but it just wasn’t building the momentum I was looking for heading into London. Afterwards, there were lots of reasons, of which I constantly kept reminding myself, for why I didn’t perform well, but that didn’t keep me from getting a little bummed. Even so, I welcome these humbling experiences because they get me fired up. I had humbling experiences that preceded all of my best races.
Often times my worst races come at the times when I feel the most prepared and am anticipating floating through a spectacular performance with ease. It is weird how that works and I don’t quite understand it. The only explanation I can think of is that whenever I expect something to be easy it always turns out to be far harder than I am prepared to run, but when I am preparing myself for a war then any part of the race that feels easy is a bonus. The problem heading into XC Nationals, though, was that I was expecting a war and still came up short. I honestly didn’t feel like I was proud going into the race I just felt like I couldn’t run any faster. But I guess I can live with that and use the humbling experience to prepare my spirit for London.
I was recently reading a book about Lance Armstrong and his preparations for the 2004 Tour De France. It really helped me change my perspective towards bumps along the road when getting ready for the big dance. For example, in looking at Lance’s buildup of races for the 2004 Tour, he only won one of his races and most of the time finished considerably behind, sometimes even behind the same guys who would be his biggest rivals in the tour. Before one such race a reporter asked him what his goals were for the race and he smiled and replied, “to not get last.” This was a good reminder to me that even a guy that seems as invincible as Lance Armstrong is not always sharp.
After XC Nationals I was convinced that I should never race leading up to a major marathon (as I did before the Olympic Trials) but I am beginning to shift my perspective to think about these buildup races as opportunities to test out where I am at and practice competing rather than proving to myself or anyone else that I am going to be ready for the big show.
Another thing I picked up from the book was how Lance’s buildup for the tour was very technically engineered so that he wouldn’t peak too early but at a specific point in the tour. It mentioned guys who would look very good early and beat Lance maybe just a month before the tour, but by the time the tour rolled around Lance killed them. They describe peaking like being on a razor’s edge. Everything from the proper training to being at the proper weight had to come together right at the perfect time to be ready to go for the tour. I think I need to consider this more before major marathons. It is all about timing.
Speaking of timing, one reason why I am so excited about preparing for and racing London is to further perfect the timing that the marathon demands. I felt that going into London last year I had been training too hard for too long and I felt that going into the trials I didn’t have enough time because of the break I had to take less than three months before the Trials. I think we may have figured it out perfectly in this buildup for London. But we will find out for sure in six weeks! I can’t wait to get out there and pour myself out…I am preparing for war!
To comment on this entry and to send questions & feedback to Ryan, please click here.
Photograph: Courtesy of NYRR
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: American distance running, confidence, elite athlete, elite athlete blog, elite athlete blog series, elite runner, faith, flora london marathon, god, jesus, London Marathon, london2008, london2008news, marathon runner, professional running blog, Ryan Hall, tfs elite athlete blog series, the final sprint elite athlete blog series, thefinalsprint.com elite athlete blog series, track and field, training, u.s. olympic mens marathon trials, us cross country championships
Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!
The Final Sprint
Ryan:
March 4th, 2008 at 12:48 pmWe’d really love for you to come to NH and speak to our congregation about what God is doing in your life. I coach a little at the middle school and sometimes at the high school and a number of the runners from there, as well as other adults are coming to this new church - New Wineskin - to check God out. Is there any possibility that you can get out here sometime to speak on a Sunday morning?
Josh
Good luck in London buddy! I love your attitude bro. I think we all have experiences that humble us, but it’s what we gain from those experiences that dictate who we are. Good entry!
God Bless,
March 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pm-Austin
One of the surefire ways to tell if someone will be consistently successful (as opposed to just randomly successful) is their attitude about failures. Consistently successful people see their failures as one of two things: a lack of effort or a lack of preparation (i.e. a misjudgment about the difficulty of the task at hand).
My guess is that your effort has been there, but your preparation (both mentally and physically) for the specific demands of the XC Nationals was not. But as you said, it’s better to seek out those types of performances rather than avoid them. The last thing you want is to be unprepared come the big show.
Congrats on a very good “bad” race. When your “bad” races are still that good, you’re doing something right!
March 5th, 2008 at 12:20 amI am also reminded of Lasse Viren. He only peaked for the Olympics. In the years in between he was getting beat by guys who were not even close to his calibre. Yet he humbled himself to be prepared for the big day in the olympic finals. I Pe. 5:6. He will lift you up.
March 7th, 2008 at 7:20 amGreat attitude Ryan!
Keep your eyes on the goal. Don’t worry about the race, I really believe that a bad performance only shadows an upcoming victory. Great insight on your racing. Can’t wait to see your times in London.
David
March 8th, 2008 at 7:08 amDear Ryan,
For such a time as this …
Please get in touch with me about the possibility of glorifying God through speaking at a Bethany Christian Services Banquet in South Carolina in October 2008. Bethany is a Christian adoption agency.
We are having a state-wide fund raising initiative as part of the 2009 Myrtle Beach Marathon, and request that you consider speaking at our banquet. You would be a tremendous inspiration.
In Christ,
Bart Thompson
… run in such a way to receive the prize.
March 9th, 2008 at 1:46 pmRyan,
March 11th, 2008 at 7:50 pmI saw you out running today. I just found your blog and I will follow it. Our community is very proud of Ryan Hall the person and the runner. It is inspiring to here you descibe how you overcome the hurdles in your life and training.
Steve
Dear Ryan,
First, God bless you as you worship the Lord with your running! We watched the Olympic Trials and could tell that the presence of God was all over you, Ryan!
So, keep fighting the good fight of faith!
Ryan, I hope that you can take a few moments to read on.
My name is Lisa Harper. I have been a pastor’s wife in the Detroit, MI area for 21 years. I’m a mother of 4 kids (ages 9-16 who also like to run), and a marathoner. The real runner in the family is actually my good husband, Scott Harper. He was an NCAA I all American in the mid 1980’s. 8:38 for the 2 mile! Not too shabby, hey?
In fact, Scott just read your interview in Track and Field. I then went on the internet and found your video on Godtube. Awesome!
Ryan, I am writing to you for two reasons. I want to tell you about a non-profit charity I founded in 2003 called Marathon Mission, and I want to ask if you would consider joining us in Detroit for any portion of the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon on Sunday, October 19, 2008.
Let me explain: I used to run long distances in college at Oral Roberts University, where Scott was the one who was really on the XC and track teams. In 1985 he suggested I run the Detroit marathon on fall break. He ran it with me…a 3:09. (It was a piece of cake for him, but a huge feat for me!)
Then, we got married. I had 4 kids and 5 miscarriages, so I was pregnant 9 times. I never thought I would do a marathon again. For some reason, I also thought that if I ever ran a marathon again, I would have to run it faster than a 3:09. I didn’t think that this pastor’s wife and mother of 4 could do THAT. However, God stirred my heart, after an 18 year break in 2003, to run the Detroit marathon again. This time it was not going to be for speed. It was going to be for GOD!
I decided that I wanted to use my strength to run a marathon and raise funds for 5 missionary families I knew of that needed support.
I called my humble efforts, “Marathon Mission.” Since then, I never expected what would happen. So many people wanted to join me every October in my efforts. Fortunately, the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon has different distances to choose from, like a 5K, relay and 1/2 marathon, so there’s something for everyone.
Can you believe this: Marathon Mission is now the premier faith AND community based umbrella charity for the entire Detroit Free Press Marathon? People have walked or run for over 40 reasons since Marathon Mission began.
The purpose of Marathon Mission is for walkers and runners of all ages and abilities (5-75 years old!)to raise support for the myriad of outstanding missionaries and charitable workers, both stateside and abroad, who daily lay down their lives for the least of these.
Ryan, I am compelled to contact you, because I, too, run to worship God. When we run, we feel his pleasure.
Thank God, I now have 10 marathons under my belt. To me, that’s a miracle, given that this body has been pregnant 9 times. (That’s a testimony in itself!)I use the opportunities to be a witness right on the streets. Whether it’s a word of encouragement or a pat on the back, we have this opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ for a short while. I’m sure you do that every day wherever you go, Ryan.
About the Detroit marathon, I’m sure that the race director, Pat Ball, would be thrilled to have you present.
She says that she knows of no other non-profit charity (I call it ministry in Christian circles!) like it among Marathons in the U.S.
If you have a moment, take a look at our website at www.marathonmission.net.
Click on the 3 minute video on the home page. I’m the gal in the red, white and blue shorts and red Marathon Mission t-shirt!
Thank you for your time.
If you find yourself in Detroit, we’d love to have you with us on October 19. We have a sunrise celebration with guitars, right near the start of the race. You’d love the atmosphere! It’s been covered by the media, too. We are hoping to have at least 200-300 Marathon Mission Team runners this year! (That might even be more than Team in Training! :)
Ryan, I wanted you to know that your story is an inspiration to our family. I hope that hearing about Marathon Mission can encourage your heart as well.
Please write back when you have a moment. Also, be assured that the Harper family will be praying with you as you live out Hebrews 12…running with perseverance, the race marked out for us!
Sincerely yours,
Lisa Harper
March 12th, 2008 at 9:38 amMarathon Mission Founder
www.marathonmission.net
harpersrun86@wowway.com
Ryan! I hope your training is going well for London. It’s refreshing to see an iconic figure mentioning God in their success. It seems many thank Him when something glorious happens, but otherwise are not too inclined to mention Him in their day to day lives. I love your attitude towards training, running, friendship and life in general.
This winter I’ve tried to get a lot more serious about my training for track and have consistently run since my cross country break. I was getting a bit frustrated with my workouts that didn’t go so well though, but reading through your blog has shown me even the greatest runners can’t have perfect training all the time. You’ve helped me understand that I can embrace the tough times to make me a stronger person and to appreciate the good times even more.
Best of luck this spring and summer! You’ll definitely be in my prayers…God speed!
March 14th, 2008 at 7:38 pmRyan!
I have become one of your greatest fans, and I believe that you can win in Beijing. I have been there, and my son is currently living there…just an offer to be aware of certain things in Beijing and in China, and regarding that trip and preparation.
March 23rd, 2008 at 12:22 pmBest Wishes
JH
Ryan,
Got up this morning at 4:00 a.m. to watch you run London.
April 13th, 2008 at 5:53 pmIt was well worth it. Great job Ryan. Watching you run is a great motivator to just get out there and live life.
Keep the faith Brother.
Bernie
Ryan,
I’d like to express great admire of you run. I’m not professional, but you are one of the best!
Best regards, Mike
May 13th, 2008 at 4:13 pm