To the Junior Athlete

Zenith – the time at which something is most powerful or successful, the highest point, the pinnacle.

It can be difficult to image yourself as an adult athlete, your focus is naturally on the here and now. But if you feel like your self-imposed pressure is building, I encourage you to think of your journey as a junior athlete through the lens of building a strong foundation for the future. Placing the bricks of success together with at times the bricks of failure is part of the journey to achieving your ultimate goals. Every step is imperative towards building your Zenith performance, even those steps you may at times view as backward steps. Each brick is important because it creates your success story.

During your junior building phase Zenith Running encourages you to keep 3 things in mind:

Dream big and endeavour to surround yourself with successful people.Step out of your comfort zone – your dreams begin at the end of your comfort zone.It’s ok to struggle or fail, it’s a necessary path that even the best has to navigate. When you are faced with adversity remind yourself that these are the bumps in the road that you can use to make yourself stronger.

The job of your support team (parents, coach, etc.) during your junior years should be one of creating a fun environment where positive lessons in wellbeing, discipline and friendship are formed. Some of you may not continue as an athlete into your adult years but hopefully you will continue to participate in an active lifestyle with the skills you have learnt during these sporting foundation years. It is these learned skills that will open your doors for other success in the future, for example, education, in the workplace and even relationships.  But if your dream is to reach your pinnacle as an athlete, competing at the highest level of open competition, then it’s your job along with your support team to ensure a strong foundation base as a junior athlete transitions you into a successful senior athlete. If that is your dream you need to believe in yourself and remember that you do not need anyone’s permission to dream and strive for your goals. Don’t be distracted by people who may not believe in you, it’s just that your dream isn’t their dream so they may have trouble visualising it. Never apologise for what you are building towards and don’t be fooled that your dream doesn’t exist just because others can’t see it. You may not have all the answers yet, but you can be rest assured you are heading in the right direction. You are creating your success map.

Before you know it, you’ll find yourself on the start line of an Open National Championship race which may qualify you to represent Australia. This is the moment where you will draw on the strong foundation you have built over years as a junior athlete. To even get to that start line it’s worth understanding that success is perceived by many in a strange way. Most people believe successful athletes have reached the top because they have won the “lottery” in talent; however, this is not telling the full story. It’s misguided because it casts aside the journey. What about the struggle, the blood, sweat and tears that it took to get to that start line? It undervalues what is important. In the real world it doesn’t matter who you are, you are never entitled to a result. Your best is the result of what it has taken to get you there. Every successful athlete has experienced bumps in the road to their success. It’s a sign that you are in the midst of what separates average from great. Your struggle maybe injury, a plateau in performance or difficulty handling competition. These are the necessary bricks to place in your junior foundation years and they will be the most important you will lay. How many times have you heard someone state they were robbed of reaching their best due to injury or other circumstances? Many people see struggle as a time to walk away and hang up their “running shoes”, but the best look at it differently. When the lights turn red, what are you going to do? Winners are able to continue on. If you want something so bad, then a moment of discomfort maybe a necessary ingredient. If you want to be the best, your mindset needs to reflect the best and there is more to being the best than just talent.

The most important things in life, the things that you really want, may very well be what you fear the most. Your junior years are an opportunity for you to practice crossing to the other side of fear. If you find yourself consumed with nerves before a major competition, remind yourself that this is where you want to be and that no matter what happens you will go home with your team and they will still love you and the experience itself is what is making you a better athlete. Also, you don’t have to play it safe, stepping out of your comfort zone is a recipe for success. I’ll let you in on a secret, you will view some of your results as failures but I promise you they are the imperative bricks that will provide you with the strongest foundation to reach your Zenith. Don’t fear failure, you will fail your way to success.

So, enjoy the journey, the ups and the downs, fail often but realise that it is ok because you are building. Put your head down and lay those bricks. Build them when you are tired, build them when you fail, build them when you win, and finally the best version of yourself will begin to materalise. Focus on yourself, focus on your journey and your Zenith will appear.  If you do that I promise you your day will come.

All the best,

Zenith Running