Coach Boyle Blog

INCREDIBLE

A recent NY Times article…

Coach Nate

Two summers ago I drove a 26 foot Penske moving truck from Colorado Springs to Davidson, NC.  Take a quick look at the map and youll quickly realize that the trip is pretty long.  Drive a monster truck with a Jeep Grand Cherokee hitched ot the back and you realize how incredibly boring the trip becomes.

Ahh the blessing of IPODs and the written word being read.  The entire trip I spent listening to the book referenced in the title.  An incredibly well written book that was brought to life by the narrator and made me look forward to getting back on the road, it tells the story of Roger Bannister, John Landy, and Wes Santee.  Each man possessing significatly different personalities and training approaches–all united in their quest to become the first man to run the mile in under 4 minutes.

For the benefit of time let me ruin the novelty of the question, but certainly not the story itself.  Ultimately it was Bannister and his “unique” approach to training based on his own scientific research as he pursued an MD who would become the first man to dip under what many wrote was the limit of the human body.  

“As a medical student at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, Roger Bannister chose to use his lunch hour for a 9 minute jog to Paddington track, where he ran 10 X 400 m in about 60 s with two minutes rest, then he ran back to work. The whole procedure took 46 minutes, leaving him 14 minutes to eat his lunch.”  This was in 1954.

I encourage all to read/listen to the novel and learn more about these incredible men.  Landy became governor of Victoria, Australia.  Bannister became a distinguished neurologist and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford.  If they can make that drive bearable…

Coach Nate

I know were a Speedo Team, but I couldnt resist.  

Every four years the Swimming community talks about being at a crossroads.  How can we capitalize on the success of the Olympics and move this beautiful sport into the mainstream conciousness.?

What is missing?  How does a sport become transcendent?  Is it a dominating performance?  Or is it a captivating personality that embodies passion for sport?

Ask me and its the latter.  I cannot tell you how many Tours Lance Armstrong won (or will win?)…but I know hes on his bike.  Pre never even won a medal at the Olympics but his short life was one of the catalysts for NIKE and two movies.  Tiger Woods made golf into a spectacle by playing and winning the US Open with a torn ACL.

Simply put the next one of these athletes is out there in a pool.  Somewhere–in some 6 lane 25 meter outdoor pool with poor lighting and flags that are mismeasured, some young athlete is making the decision that the expectations of others dont merit what he believes himself capable of performing.   Its the athlete who is in the arena that gets to decide where this sport is headed.  TIDE embraces and supports that ideal because we realize it is the humanity within and the dreams of our athletes that make this great sport transcendent.  

Thank you all for everything you do,

Coach Nate