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Tommy Druen: Olympics season Previous Column: Duke University is getting it right By Tommy Druen It's Olympics season For the entirety of our lifetimes, we have had this interesting mix of athletic competition and patriotism to capture our attention every four years. And while last year, the prospects of the Tokyo games looked bleak, that pent up pressure is finally being released as we watch athletes from around the world compete in competitions both familiar and foreign to us. Outside of the Olympic Village though, what is inevitable is the Olympics metaphor. Writers and orators from around the globe will try to make points by utilizing the trials and victories of our world's best athletes. The stories resonate. Even those not typically interested in sports can relate with the people who train their lives for their chance of triumph on the most public of stages. My pastor, Alan Redditt, is perhaps the most avid fan of the Olympics I know. Without fail, every four years we have a sermon series about the games. And, truthfully, the series is great. I have not only learned about the athletes but been able to see the theological metaphors as well. But Alan was on vacation this past week and our youth pastor, Tim Schindler, delivered the sermon. And while Tim may not be quite as frequent of commenter on the games, he told a story of one Olympian. The story of Eliud Kipchoge has stuck with me and, while not the direction Tim took it, I want to use it as an example as advice for all of us. Eliud Kipchoge is a 36-year-old Kenyan runner. As many know, the Kenyans have dominated long distance running for decades. Kipchoge is no exception to that, but he is also the best that has ever lived. At 5'6" and 115 lbs, this physically unimposing man has broken every single marathon record and has been called the greatest marathoner in history. As I write this, the Olympics marathon has not taken place yet. However, if Kipchoge does not win a gold medal it will be an epic upset. Two years ago, though, Eliud Kipchoge took on another challenge. Having set record times close to it already, Kipchoge set out to finish the 26.2-mile race in under two hours. Two hours. In less time than it would take me to watch Star Wars for probably the hundredth time, Kipchoge was planning to run 26.2 miles! The "exhibition marathon," as it was not an official competition, was set up in Vienna. The conditions were more than ideal with a flat running surface, technologically advanced shoes, and a lead vehicle planting lasers at Kipchoge's feet to help him keep the right pace for his achievement. That was not all though. Kipchoge, with his sponsor's money, invited 40 of the world's premier runners to join in. These runners would not compete with Kipchoge (as if they could!), but would be broken into teams and be his human pacesetters. The pacesetters enveloped Kipchoge. Each team would run with him a bit then switch out, providing fresh legs. Five ran in front of him in a reverse V formation, with two behind him. Scientifically, this helped by reducing drag and making the run easier on Kipchoge. Psychologically, it was even more important because he wasn't out there on his own. He was surrounded by a group of people who were running alongside him and cheering him on. To end the suspense, I'll let you know that on October 12, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to ever run a marathon in less than two hours. At 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds, he had time to spare and could have danced a jig as he completed what was thought to be undoable. The part of the story that struck me the most though were the pacesetters. These were some of the premier athletes in their field. And there they were, playing a bit role in the story of their frequent opponent, cheering him on and doing what needed to be done to make his victory a reality. Clearly there is a lesson here for us to apply to our own lives. My mother always said to be careful who you run with. And while she didn't mean that as literally as a marathon runner would take it, it makes perfect sense. Do we surround ourselves with people who truly want to see us advance? Are we the type of people to be the pacesetters for our friends and help them achieve what their goals? Running is not typically thought of as a team sport, but I have come to the realization that everything in life is a team effort. Are we working to further our own egos or to make sure our team, the people we surround ourselves with daily, accomplishes all they can? Phil Jackson, perhaps the most philosophical coach in basketball history, put it this way: "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." Let's be the type of people who embrace our pacesetters as we also become the pacesetters for them. As Eliud Kipchoge demonstrated, that's how the impossible becomes reality. Tommy Druen is a native of Metcalfe County, with roots in Adair County going back to the 18th century. He presently lives in Georgetown, Kentucky and can be reached at tommydruen@gmail.com. This story was posted on 2021-07-29 07:39:35
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