Bryce Courtenay's book has always been a favourite of mine. It's been probably close to 10 years since I last read it - I've always been drawn to it & certain paragraphs from it often come to mind. A few weeks ago I decided that I was only going to read positive, strong, inspiring material in the lead up to Six Foot so this book was always going to make the grade. This paragraph seems particularly relevant for me (and perhaps all the Six Foot virgins) right now -
The power of one is above all things the power to believe in yourself often well beyond any latent ability you may have previously demonstrated. The mind is the athlete; the body is simply the means it uses to run faster or longer, jump higher, shoot straighter, kick better, swim harder, hit further or box better. Hoppie's dictum to me: 'First with the head and then with heart' was more than simply mixing brains with guts. It meant thinking well beyond the powers of normal concentration and then daring your courage to follow your thoughts.
7 comments:
Absoloodle ;-)
Without a doubt, you have the courage to make it Jen, and I believe you will.
By the way, I've "arranged" for the sweeper to be kidnapped by hillbillies and tied to a tree. ;-)
Sounds good to me. Your only limit is your mind to tell your body what to do.
Thanks Jen. I will keep that one in mind at Caboolture on Saturday night.
Thanks Jen. Wish I had of read it before last weekend!!
So true - I must remember that.
of course you know that Bryvce Courtenay was not only a distance runner but also a Sydney Strider AND ran the 6ft, once under and once over the cutoff:
http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/history.php?PersonID=5528
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