Nick Symmonds: Goin’ Home!
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry 10)
Posted April 7th, 2008 at 6:28 PM by Nick Symmonds
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Nick Symmonds
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At the age of 18 I was applying to colleges and, though I wanted to stay in the Pacific Northwest, I also knew that I had to get out of Boise, ID. Boise had been my home for 15 years and while it was a great place to grow up, I needed a change of scenery and wanted to see what life was like in other cities. However, returning to Boise has always been extremely important to me. This Friday I will be going home for the weekend and this got me thinking about why I return home every few months.
The main reason I go home to is to visit my family. My parents still live in the house in which I grew up. There is no other place in which I feel as comfortable or as relaxed. When I am home I am able to forget about the stress of real life that exists here in Eugene. Not that my life is all that stressful to begin with (other than the self imposed pressure to run fast and make teams) but simply sleeping in my old room, eating home cooked meals, and catching up with loved ones is sometimes all it takes for me to recharge my batteries. I always look forward to going home and running on the trails that first gave me a passion for the sport. It’s strange to find that Hulls Gulch, a gorgeous 8 mile loop through the Boise Foothills, which once seemed the longest run I would ever finish, is now merely the first 8 miles of a 14 mile long run. I think back to the high school kid whose life-long goal was to break the four-minute mile barrier. At the time, I thought I had, perhaps, set my goal too high. I was only a 4:20 miler and it seemed like I would never be able to shave 21 more seconds off my time. I somehow managed to do so; thinking about how daunting that goal was gives me a lot of hope and inspiration for another lofty goal I have…winning an Olympic gold medal.
I admit that at first glance this goal seems next to impossible, but with the patience and determination that led me to my first sub 4 minute mile I truly believe that it is a goal I could accomplish in this lifetime. The determination part rarely seems to be a problem, but often I need the most work on patience. It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement and energy that surrounds Hayward field and this year’s Olympic Trials, and going home is the best and sometimes only way for me to escape it. While I fully plan on training each day I am home, I also plan on having lunch with my mom, playing a round of golf with my dad, and watching some of the bizarre, yet oddly refreshing foreign films that always seem to be lying around the living room. Boise will always be my true home - it’s where my love for track and field was born and where I hope to one day return. Until then, I have to remember that I have been given a gift and it is my responsibility to use it to the best of my abilities and, for now, that means to living everyday like a champion here in Track Town, USA.
Along those lines, I am now beginning my 4th week back following the World Indoor Championships. I hit 70 miles last week along with two lifting sessions and two half-hour swims. I can feel my body starting to break down a bit due to all the work, but being tired in April is what allows me to feel fresh all summer. My 2008 outdoor season begins in less than three weeks and I want to show up at Penn Relays as fit as I’ve ever been and hungry to compete against the best in the world.
-Nick
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Tags: 800 meter run, 800 meters, 800m, elite athlete blog, elite athlete blog series, elite athlete nutrition, eugene or, indoor track & field, middle distance, Nick Symmonds, olympic games, olympic hopeful, Olympic Trials, professional running blog, race prep, thefinalsprint.com elite athlete blog series, track and field, training, World Indoor Championships
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The Final Sprint
[…] Nick Symmonds put an intriguing blog post on Nick Symmonds: Goin’ Home! (Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #10)Here’s a quick excerptWhile I fully plan on training each day I am home, I also plan on having lunch with my mom, playing a round of golf with my dad, and watching some of the bizarre, yet oddly refreshing foreign films that always seem to be lying around … […]
April 7th, 2008 at 9:38 pmKeep up the great work nick!!!!!!! Thanks!
April 10th, 2008 at 10:11 am