“Heh Dad, I want to run the Half Marathon in a few weeks. Can you stump up and buy me a pair of runners please?” said my son Jack.
“Sure, young fella. You’re my # 1 ranked son at the minute. If you need ‘em, you get ‘em…….one of the many privileges of being # 1,” said I.
The Gold Coast Half Marathon is 21.1 kms along the oceanfront here on the Gold Coast Queensland. A fair way for a kid to run.
One Fit Kid
Leaving aside the proud dad bullshit, physically 16yo Jack is one of the fittest kids in Australia.
He’s the youngest person ever to cycle across Australia, he was the youngest competitor in the tough Noosa Triathlon a few years back (that’s him finishing off the 10km run above) and he’s a very experienced bushman/kid who I would happily toss out 500 kms into the wilderness without food or water and fully expect him to arrive smiling on the doorstep a day or 2 later.
He is currently training to do the grueling Kokoda Challenge 96 km bushwalk in July and then is walking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea in September.
In January next year he’ll be walking the South Coast track in Tasmania – a 5-9 day walk that is one of the world’s most remote wilderness walks.
Um, so yes. He’s fit.
The Toughest Person I Know
Mentally, this quiet, gentle, skinny kid is, without question, the toughest person I know.
I remember on the across Australia bike ride we were 85 kms out from Norseman in the harsh Australian desert.
He’d been cycling for 100 kms into a ferocious headwind.
His saddle sores from riding his bike 700kms the previous 4 and a bit days were so bad that when his backside touched the bike seat he was in instant agony.
The sores were red, inflamed, broken and oozing.
Did What He Had To Do
So he did what he had to do.
For 4 hours, into that driving headwind, in 35 degree heat, this skinny 15 year old kid cycled in agony.
Standing up on the pedals. For 85 kms.
Try that. Standing up on your pedals and pedaling.
When one of my brothers heard Jack had been standing on his pedals cycling for 85 kms, he grabbed his bike and went and tried it.
“It’s Impossible……..”
“It’s impossible. I was stuffed after 200 metres,” he said.
When we finally made our bush camp that night I took him aside. I took him away from the support crew. I wanted him away from the others so that we could chat without any pressure on keeping up appearances.
“Look mate, we can camp here for a few days and let the sores heal. It doesn’t matter if we’re a week late getting in. Would you like to have a rest for a few days and get yourself right?” I asked.
“If It Was Easy Everyone Would Do It”
“Nah Dad, I’ll be right. If it was easy everyone would do it,” he said.
We headed off the next day, sores and all to cycle another 185 kms.
The day after that was an incredible 260 kms. Then 185 kms the next day. Next day was 211 km. Day after was 180 kms, then 195 kms.
And on it went.
A 15 year old skinny kid.
Tough.
Back To The Gold Coast Half Marathon
Anyway, back to the running shoes.
Jack and I sought out a local running shoe shop and went on in. The saleswoman came up to us and started her pitch.
“What sort of running will you be doing,” she said.
“I’m running the Gold Coast Half Marathon,” said Jack.
“Oh, that’s in 5 weeks………how much running have you been doing?” she asked.
“Ummm, none yet. I’m about to start when I buy some shoes,” said Jack.
“How old are you?”
“16,” he said.
“And you’ve done no training? And expect to be able to run the Half Marathon?” she practically spat.
“I ran for 20 minutes a few weeks ago,” he said.
Rolled Her Eyes
The saleswoman practically rolled her eyes and immediately dismissed Jack as being incapable of running the length of the shop.
Just another over-indulged kid whose daddy was buying an expensive pair of runners to go with the latest unrealistic dream of the kid.
“I hope you didn’t run in those,” she snorted in disdain pointing to Jack’s Dunlop Volleys.
“Oh no,” said Jack, looking pleased that she wouldn’t think he ran in his much-loved white Volleys.
“I ran in my black Volleys – they’re quite comfortable.”
Steam Escaping From Ears
The steam was just about coming out of her ears by now!
She looked at me (and I must confess I’ve put on a few pounds since our cycle across Australia!) and said with much sarcasm and a smirk, “Does he get his fitness from you?”
Apply Their Own Limitations
I’m fascinated at how people apply their own limiting thoughts and behaviours to assessing what others can do.
Book by its cover, jump to conclusions: there are plenty of cliches that spring to mind.
Don’t apply your narrow mindedness, your own limitations, your abilities, your mental strength, your fitness base or what you can do to what others can do.
Don’t Let Others Hold You Back
Most importantly, don’t let others narrow mindedness, their own limitations, their abilities, their mental strength, their fitness base and what they can do to what you can achieve.
There is no-one else like you. Don’t let anyone stand in your way to achieve what you’re capable of.
Craig Harper, he of the great site we launched a few days back, has a great article (or 50!) about this very thing starting here.
Cheers
Brendon
Update: If you’ve read this you might like to also read “An Open Apology To The Lady In The Shoe Shop” posted on July 6.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I almost cried when I read the last few lines, at times the battle to get to your destination is a mountain that is the negative attitudes of others and the outworking of those attitudes. Thank you, Brendon, for reminding us of what is important, to refocus and get there. Hey Jack I hope you get yourself in the paper for that shop assistant to see a winner.
Isn’t it surprising how many people do this!
Honestly, who’s going to have a better idea of what I can achieve than I am? Regardless of how many other people you’ve seen do something, you don’t know how I’ll go until you see me do it!!
Great post, Brendan! And good luck, Jack!
What is the end of the story? Did you walk out and buy somewhere else?
Knowing Jack, I have no doubt he will do this. I will struggle to do the 10k and I have been training.
You guys continue to inspire me. Like I said on Twitter when you mentioned this episode, it’s laughable that someone could doubt Jack’s ability to do anything.
As a disabled man I regularly run into these kinds of people. I wish it wasn’t illegal to run them over in my wheelchair!
Good luck Jack!
And Brendon keep us informed on the progress of that new book. My curiosity has just been piqued
Thanks for the comments guys
No big ending Terry – we bought shoes and scurried out of there!
Marc, just run them over and pretend you’re blind!
Cheers
Brendon
Hi B.
A great post. A little more depth than your usual.
Well done.
Seriously though, your deserved pride in Jack is always evident and you know I’ve great admiration for young Jack too.
I’m sure he’ll complete whatever he puts his mind to. And I’m sure he will also forgive anyone unfortunate enough not to know of his abilities and tremendous resolve to succeed.
As for people who judge books by covers – sure they’re everywhere. But that’s what makes for unexpected and inspirational success stories every day.
Good luck Jack.
Seamus