Characteristics of Great Runners,Cyclists,and Triathletes

There are five important characteristics for an outstanding athlete. Of the five, two you are born with. They are a part of your genetic makeup. You have to thank your parents and God for those abilities. Those are Talent and Durability. The other three can be developed and they are Courage, Focus, and Perseverance.

What does it mean when a person is described as Talented? Throughout history there are examples of people excelling at a very young age. We see it with musicians, actors, writers, mathematicians, and athletes.  Another description for these talented youngsters is Child Prodigy.  At an early age it is very obvious that someone is very gifted or talented. Their  brain and body works in a very exceptional way. But that doesn’t excuse them from years of hard work to properly utilize this God given talent.

The next special characteristic is Durability? For an athlete, this is the ability to recover from a high work load or the speed one recovers from an injury. There are outstanding athletes that seem to struggle with injury throughout their career. While there are some that have had their careers cut short by injuries. We are left with the question of what could this person had done had they not become injured. In order to become a great endurance athlete, one needs to be able to handle a very high work load without their body falling apart.  To be a great distance runner, you body needs to be able to consistently run weeks and years of high mileage without battling constant injuries. To achieve high levels of performance, one needs to have a body that is durable.

The next attribute is Focus. That is the ability to concentrate and block out distractions. Focus also helps you to stay on task and to concentrate during competition and to follow your training and racing goals. Coaches and mentors can teach and model focus.

In order to succeed in life, one needs Perseverance. This allows people to stay on track and not give up when faced with adversity. They are determined to continue to reach their goals despite circumstances that they cannot control. Again Coaches and mentors can teach and model perseverance.

The fifth characteristic of an outstanding athlete is Courage. Courage is the quality of mind that enables one to face danger with confidence, resolution, and firm control of oneself; bravery. Using Courage is not a daily necessity. But without Courage there are athletes and many people that wouldn’t succeed in their life goals. Courage can be modeled by mentors and coaches.

Make a list of people that have these characteristics and give examples of these five characteristics. Then try to incorporate these characteristics into your life. Look for a mentor to learn from. A mentor can be a friend, parent, teacher, or person from the present of past. Study their lives and try to emulate their strengths. That person could be Billy Mills, John Wooden, Jim Ryun, Barb Lindquist, Greg  LeMond, Lance Armstrong and Jesus Christ. The goal  is to maximize your bodies potential and sharpen your mental outlook.