Photos: Instagram
In our culture, we’re always looking for the next big thing. As a result, we see teenagers on the front of major sports magazines, top 30 business people under 30 lists and the next big actor or model celebrated all over social media. But in our obsession with youth and precociousness, we too often overlook the lessons that people with more life experience could teach us, if only we were paying attention. Here are four takeaways from older athletes that you’d do well to apply to your training and life in general:
Photo: Touchthetop.org
Athlete: Erik Weihenmayer
Lesson: Ignore other people’s imaginary limits
When Erik Weihenmayer told people he was going to climb the Seven Summits (for the uninitiated, that’s the highest peak on each of the seven continents) they told him he was crazy. Not because he lacked the athletic ability, but because he’s blind. Hey doubters: how’d that work out for you? Weihenmayer completed his mission, one of only 150 people to complete the Seven Summits and the only blind person to do it. It’s hard to top such an achievement literally or figuratively, but Weihnemayer once again paddled past people’s expectations of what’s possible when he kayaked the Grand Canyon, as detailed in his book No Barriers. We’d all benefit from adopting Weihnemayer’s indomitable approach and his mantra, “what’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way.”
Athlete: Gerry Lopez
Lesson: Your life needs balance
Back in the day, most surfers understood that Gerry Lopez was the man at Pipeline. But while modern surfers are almost vicious with their cutbacks and rail work, Lopez was nonchalant as he carved his way down the wave face. This same type of preternatural calm extends into and from his yoga practice, deep appreciation for nature and outlook on life as a journey to be savored. The sports media glorifies going all out, all the time, but Lopez shows us that taking your time to soak in your surroundings and appreciate the environment and people around you is a better way in the long run.
Athlete: Scott Jurek
Lesson: Find a new challenge
Speaking of long runs, let’s talk about Scott Jurek for a moment. Having done just about all there is to do in distance running, the Boulder native needed a new challenge. Instead of looking to an ultra, he decided to take on a different type of quest – completing the Appalachian Trail in record time. The lesson here is that sometimes you need to shake things up a bit and get away from what you know you’re best at. If you’re going to continue evolving as an athlete and a person, find new ways to test yourself and don’t shy away from following Jurek’s example in setting and achieving big, ambitious goals.
Athlete: Roger Federer
Lesson: You need better recovery
The term “overtraining” gets thrown around a lot to explain training plateaus, injuries, and other issues. But often it’s not the volume, duration, density or intensity of the training itself, but what happens afterward. Or, more likely, doesn’t. And that’s sufficient recovery. Roger Federer recently turned back the clock to win his 19th major when a lot of people in the tennis community had written off his chances of re-ascending to the pinnacle of the sport. His secret? More sleep. Federer is famous for a lot of things, but it’s arguably the 10 to 12 hours he gets each night that helps him keep up with players 10 years or more his junior and the rigors of global travel.
