COMMUNITY

Ryan Hall is known as the fastest US Marathoner in History. When people within the endurance world discuss his career, they often bring up his commanding win in the 2008 US Olympic Trials, or his amazing 2:04 effort to finish 4th at the Boston Marathon in 2011, which still holds as the current US marathon record.

A race that most people do not recall is his 2:08 finish at the Boston Marathon in 2011 to finish 4th. This was an unusual finish. As the top guys made their turn onto Boylston street for the finish, Hall was gaining on third. And truth be told, a podium spot was his for the taking. As spectators rallied behind Hall, and cheered him on fully expecting him to take third, Hall slows down. Not because he had no kick, but he intentionally slows, stretches out his arms as if her were an airplane, and begins to run in zig zags. Everyone watching was bewildered. Why would he do this? Why would he throw away a podium spot at the most prestigious marathon in the world? Ryan takes his 4th place finish with a smile on his face.

Outside Magazine recently did an article on 13-year old Lucy Westlake who is trying to become the youngest American girl to summit the highest peak in all 50 states. You can read it here. Currently, she has climbed 49 of them. Lucy is also a junior elite triathlete who credits triathlonfor the reason she has the fitness to climb like she does. Outside Magazine has coined Lucy the “grittiest 13-year old we know” which begs the question of how she got this way and how we foster this in more of today’s kids.

People often ask how we have had such success…it really comes down to understanding the physiology of a youth athlete. As a young child, our bodies do not operate the same as they will as an adult but rather spend 15-20 years developing. Because of this, we cannot expect our bodies to be trained the same as we will as an adult while developing.