On Winning, for Americans

I just returned from a weekend competing in the inaugural Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon. This one was a keeper--beautiful course that started in Mount Vernon, went along the George Washington Parkway, over the bridge of its namesake, and ended in the picturesque National Harbor in Maryland. At only $70, it was a steal for amateur, third-tier runners like me! (And after a recent move to the state of Virginia, I am really loving the running atmosphere out here. It's not quite New York, but...two thumbs up.)

Let me preface this by saying: God Bless anyone who runs. Seriously--anyone in the world. If you're a runner--in my book--you are more than likely a great individual.

To know me is to know that I am constantly watching runners, following races and looking for that "next great" American-born distance runner. I want nothing more than to see Americans win Olympic gold in every race from the mile to the marathon (indeed, that's one of my motivations behind writing and starting this site for athletes who share that goal).

This isn't to say that I don't appreciate foreign athletes. Most of the time, I'm awe-struck by runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco, Brazil, Japan, and the like. They add a great deal to the sport by pushing records even further; advancing mankind's desire to "go fast" in the words of Ricky Bobby.

But I have to say that it is a little disheartening to see the top three finishers on the men's and women's side in this recent half marathon come from anywhere but America.

Speaking with a friend recently--an outstanding athlete and former collegiate-400m standout himself--we came to the conclusion that there are a whole slew of reasons for Kenyan-Ethiopian-Moroccan-etc dominance of distance races: genetics, upbringing, necessity of their surroundings (i.e. lack of reliable infrastructure), low employment rates, etc. Perhaps, as children, runners from these countries wouldn't think twice about running 10 miles one way to get to school, whereas American children are culturally accustomed to riding the bus. Gym class is a 40-minute chore for American kids who have video games and IPods at their fingertips constantly, whereas outdoor games that involve cardiovascular endurance and agility are the source of entertainment for more than a few successful running cultures.

And let's not forget: running long distance is hard. The level of training involved to being an Olympian--even if you are genetically predisposed to it and workout daily at elevation--is enough to dissuade young athletes who might much rather enjoy the windfalls and fame from putting their athletic prowess towards the shorter sprinting races (where America has historically had very great success, in contrast).

And maybe we've done a little too much dissuading of young potential athletes ourselves. It is a common athletic refrain in this country, repeated daily to wide-eyed youngsters who can barely tie their shoe, yet look up to the likes of Kevin Durant, Derek Jeter, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Hall and Shalane Flanagan. "I want to be a baseball player when I grow up!" "I want to be in the Olympics when I grow up." And the inevitable reply--maybe not the first time, but eventually--"That's nice, but why don't you think of something more serious? How about [insert profession here]?" or, my favorite, "Your odds are better to get struck by lightening than they are of making it into professional sports."

What if, instead, we shifted our focus? What if "physical education" was more than just that? What if, in addition to getting them moving each day, we gave them the motivation for Olympic gold as part of the curriculum?

There are great gym teachers all over the country; many of them are former or current athletes who once had dreams of their own. If the United States can muster the courage, it's time we used these folks--their motivation, drive, determination--to instill the awe and wonder of Olympic Gold to kids from the moment they step into school. How can it hurt? Giving young athletes the opportunity to believe in athletic excellence--and to be inspired by the challenge of achieving it--can only further our national goal of keeping kids moving and Americans healthy.

Obviously, this is a pie-in-the-sky suggestion; teaching children about Olympic athletes or sowing the seeds of world-class competition isn't going to show us gold at London in 2012, or even Rio in 2016. But maybe these types of dreams are exactly what we need--exactly what our country needs--to get fitter, more healthy, and bring back some long-distance gold.

I'm not saying we should turn Gym class into Olympic training time...but that might be pretty cool.