Version française suit.

I was at a Rob Thomas concert the other night and as he was introducing a song he said “Expectations can really kill a good thing”.

He wrote the song, Little Wonders, (which became the soundtrack for Meet the Robinsons,) when he was walking his dog.  He’d had a particularly crappy day and was talking to his dog as they walked along. Rob said he was stressed and annoyed until he realized his dog was simply looking up at him with a great big ‘smile’ and enjoying being out for a walk.  Rob was missing the beautiful day and a chance to walk  and play with his dog.  He let it go and had a great day – and wrote a great song! Continue reading →

La version française suit.

I like to send these messages out at the beginning of each month – sorry that this one was delayed. I’m pretty proud of a trip I just took to Kenya and Tanzania with some high school girls from the East  Scarborough (Toronto area).  We put 11 girls up to their first “Can I? Will I?” moment – There really are some incredible kids out there!!  (www.girlimpact.org/blog  )

Very cool that your medals have now been presented to the World.  A unique design for what will be your unique efforts!!!

Today’s message is a bit about perspective.

It is not the time, it is the effort that allows you to dream big. If you go to almost any gym across Canada you will see people who train regularly.  You will even find people there twice a day; hours a day. They sweat, they groan (Marathon runners and triathletes are particularly crazy and time committed).  They have families and jobs – sport is simply their passion and hobby.  They put in TIME, lots of it.  What makes you unique is the EFFORT: it has to be.  Just the TIME is not enough, and I know you all know that… but putting all this TIME in sport does not make you some martyr to your sport or the Olympic cause. TIME doesn’t make you special- there really are normal people putting in more TIME than some full time athletes.  (That’s okay.) Putting in TIME does not give anyone the right to dream big.  Putting in consistent EFFORT does. Being professional and somewhat visionary about the way you put in EFFORT allows you to dream big.

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French follows

September!  That means Summer is done, we’re into Fall and… Winter is around the corner!!! This month’s message is short and sweet.

In April’s note I sent you this…

In the pool, at the Spring (Canadian) National Championships, Anna May Pierce set a new world record, short course 200m breaststroke, (and won a car for doing it!). She had in her mind that “The world record is just someone else’s best time”.

Well, by the end of summer, after the World Aquatic Championships,  Annamay had this as her Facebook status…

Annamay Pierse one year of death training, one puking set, countless hours at the pool, 4 World Records, 1 epic summer = PRICELESS!! ‘

Enough said!

french version

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(French version follows)

Hi there,

Training is such a quiet and anonymous time. This month I wanted to drive home that you are part of something bigger than just the group around you.

As I’m sure you are all in the nuts and bolts of training I thought I’d give you a few of the nuts and bolts behind the scene.  Well – they’re not actually behind the scene – they contribute to the stage that holds you up.  From time to time, I read stuff that is based on mis-information.  How much are you really aware of the support system behind you? Continue reading →