How do I cope with the fact that I will never be a great runner because I just don't have the talent and genetics?

jerrry wrote:

HOnestly, with that attitude you are already defeated...you have already given up and who says you don't have the genetics.

Isn't the fun seeing how high you can climb? or is it, knowing ahead of time your "potential" and only being willing to work if you know (or think you know) what the outcome will be.

You are too focused on the outcome and not the process....if you don't love what you do - it does not matter how gifted you are - you are not going to rise to the highest level because you don't have the work ethic, the patience, the mindset to do what it takes to get there.

Look at the story of anyone what makes it to the top of their game and you will find self doubt, struggle, hard work, etc....the problem is you only see the finished product (you have gotten to used to seeing the Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer once they are all grown up and successful)...rather than how they got there.

Do you really think that those who run sub 13 5K's know they are genetically enhanced in a way to ensure results when they are 10 years old?

You might read the Jim Ryun story if you want to see how hard work can pay off - here is a kid who can't make the team (actually gets cut from the team) but does not give up. Why not? Why doesn't he just accept the fact that he is not as good as the runners at his school. That the script has already been written and he might as well give up on this sport and move on to something else..

if you think your script has already been written (your limits have already been pre-determined), that is sad.

Personally, i am motivated by the fact that the outcome has not been set. I love experimenting with training to see what the outcome will be...I like dreaming the dream and then working toward it by setting goals. I like proving people wrong who think there are all these predetermined truism as we age like:

you get slower as you age

you lose your speed

you can recover as quickly

you should only do so many hard workout a week

or only so many long runs per week

or high milage = injury

or speed = injury

or you should only race so many times in a season