Saucony 2009 - fam Live It UpMay 26, 2009 Live it up. These are three words I've heard quite often recently. Normally they just roll through my psyche without much effect, but recently I've started to really dwell on this little mantra. If any of you know Jack Daniels then you know this is Jack's personal mantra whether he recognizes it or not. If you show up for a workout and feel unsure, Jack will just say, "Live it up". Got a big race coming up and you're feeling the pressure, Jack will say, "Live it up". Stop in Jack's office up here in Flagstaff and on your way out..., "Live it up". When you're passionate about what you do and you want to excel to the highest level at what you love you'll begin to get wrapped up in it. Your daily routine, mindset and lifestyle will start getting built around developing that success and it can consume you. I don't think there are many people out there that are more dedicated, headstrong, and passionate about what they do than runners. Running is not a sport for us dedicated few. Running is our lifestyle. It's who we are. It's our culture or I should say sub-culture. Many of us live, breath, eat, and sleep running day in and day out all year, year after year until the last step. We're reaching for something more in our lives. In this way I think all runners are existentialists to some degree. Think about it, when you go out for run are you thinking about what you'll do when it's over or thinking about some work you need to get done? Chances are you're in the moment, you're letting you're mind wander and it's going to places of clear, unfiltered thought. When you're running you will most likely be focused on the air, your breathing, how you feel, the immediate environment in front of you. It's a type of meditation, mental, physical, emotional meditation. A type of meditation that yogis recognized, developed and have devoted their loves to for 1000's of years. What happens when the run is over though. Some of us go on with the rest of our day, but those of us who live running are already planning the next run. Then you'll start planning your runs to build up to workouts and then races. It happens, It's the natural order of things. To get that feeling you get, that endorphin rush, that feeling of really being alive you have to keep stepping things up. You have to start pushing the body more as it adapts to the stimulus of running and training. As a professional runner my life is basically an extreme of this concept. I have taken my mind and body to It's greatest limits and I have to find ways to push even further and go beyond that. I have to go beyond pain, beyond fatigue, beyond weakness. As I get faster and faster this becomes exponentially more difficult. I start thinking about all of the little details day in and day out that might help me get to that next level. I may think about these things for hours or try to formulate plans, strategies and ideas on how to go further. This is when you start to get consumed. This is when you might start to lose sight of why you started running and what you're really trying to achieve. Remember that you're not out to impress anybody, you're not a time, ranking or statistic. You are simply a person reaching for something better. A person reaching for something real, visceral and pure. It's easy to get lost along the way. It's easy to get wrapped up and lose sight of what's right in front of you. So, if you're one of the dedicated few like me and you can relate to these ideas, then take a step back for a second. Put your sneakers on. Go for a run on your favorite route and take a look at who you've become. Be immediately present in that run, even for just moment if you can. Take a deep breath, kick up the tempo a notch and say to yourself, "Live it up". "The greatest of victories is the victory over oneself." -fam |
About fam
Famiglietti won his first national 3,000m steeplechase title since 2002 at the 2008 Olympic Trials in bold, front-running form. Famiglietti took the lead early in the final and ran alone throughout the race, running 8:16 pace for all but the final two laps. Although he slowed somewhat in the final 800, "Fam" won easily in 8:20.24. Famiglietti ran a season’s best in the opening round at the Olympic Games when he clocked a personal best 8:17.34 (bettering his previous PR of 8:17.91 from 2004), which also was the fastest time by an American in 2008. Known mostly for his prowess in the steeplechase, Famiglietti’s 2007 season was highlighted by his 5,000m runner-up finish at Mt. SAC on April 13 in the year’s second-fastest time by an American of 13:11.93, which is the fastest time by an American ever on U.S. soil. Famiglietti’s 2006 season was highlighted by personal best performances in the 1,500 meters (3:35.83) and at 10,000 meters (27:37.74). He posted a then personal steeple best with his runner-up finish of 8:17.91 at the 2004 Olympic Trials. Famiglietti made his breakthrough in 2000, improving his personal best by more than 17 seconds and placing seventh at the Olympic Trials. He headed into the 2001 GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with the fastest time by an American in 2001 and came away with second place, a personal-best time, and a berth on Team USA for the World Championships. His victory at the 2001 World University Games is the first international title by an American in the steeplechase since John Gregorek captured the WUG title in 1991. While in Beijing, he cut his hair into a mohawk and bought a bicycle so he could travel around the city. He gave the bike to some children before he left for home…was a psychology major at Tennessee but has no plans to practice psychotherapy: “I’ve got to figure myself out first”…is an artist, with a particular interest in abstract expressionism. Famiglietti has a quotation from the 1980s New York graffiti artist Basquiat (aka “Samo”) tattooed on his forearm…has an interest in Eastern religions. 2008: 13th at Olympic Games (8:31.21)...Olympic Trials champion (8:20.24)… 3rd in opening round Heat 2 at Olympic Games (8:17.34 PR, U.S. Leader)…ranked #1 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 8:17.34. 2007:4th at USA Outdoor Championships steeple (8:27.64)…USA 8 km champion (22:35)…1st at adidas Track Classic 3,000m (7:41.27)…2nd at Mt. SAC 5,000m (13:11.93PR)…ranked #6 in steeplechase, #5 at 3,000m & #10 at 5,000m in the U.S. by T&FN…bests of 8:27.64 & 7:41.27. 2006:4th at AT&T USA Outdoors 5,000m (28:27.73)…U.S. k km champion (13:50.1)...3rd at Stanford (27:37.74)…3rd at Reebok Grand Prix (3:55.71)…8th at Stockholm (8:24.41)…7th at Rieti (3:35.83PR)… 5th at Linz (8:19.77)… 9th at Roverto (13:24.47PR)…ranked #2 U.S. in steeple, #5 U.S. at 1,500m by T&FN…bests of 3:35.83, 8:19.77, 13:24.47, 27:37.74. 2005: 2nd at USA Outdoors (8:20.49)6th in opening round at World Outdoor Champs (8:21.84)...1st in at adidas Track Classic (8:25.16) 1st at meet in Columbus (8:20.04)...2nd at Rieti (8:19.46)...best of 8:19.46 2004: 2nd at Olympic Trials (8:17.91PR)...8th in opening round at Olympic Games (8:31.59); 1st in 1500m at Sea Ray Relays (3:43.38)1st at Penn Relays (8:25.02)7th in 3000m at adidas Oregon (7:50.70)14th in 5000m at Mt. Sac (13:38.29)ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN bests of 8:17.91, 7:50.70 & 13:38.29. 2003: 3rd at Pan Am Games (8:40.22)best of 8:31.03 in opening round at USA Outdoors...ranked #4 in U.S. by T&FN. 2002: USA Outdoor steeple champ (8:19.07); 4th at USA Indoors 3 km (7:59.15)4th at World Cup (8:32.27)13th at USA 4 km XC (11:47)4th at Gresham (8:21.05 ); ran 8:23.30 in Monacoran 8:24.49 in Stockholm ranked #1 in U.S. by T&FN best of 8:19.07. 2001: World University Games champ (8:21.97); 2nd at USA Outdoors (8:22.68)...4th at US indoor 3,000m (7:59.41)...11th in opening round at World Outdoors (8:44.54)10th in 4 km at USA XC Winter Nationals; 3rd at adidas Oregon Track Classic (8:23.20)...ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 8:21.00 in Stockholm. 2000: 7th, Olympic Trials (8:25.37) ...2nd SEC Outdoors 4th, NCAA Outdoors (8:42.49) best of 8:25.37. 1999: 8th in heat, USA Outdoors (8:42.58)... 6th at NCAA Outdoors (8:50.11)...best of 8:42.58. 1998: Southern Conference champion in steeple and 5 km...11th at SEC XC...75th at NCAA XC...best of 8:52.12. 1997: Southern Conference XC runner of the year runner-up. 1996: Southern Conference freshman of year in XC Sign Up
Join Saucony's email club to hear about occasional product launches and events, and you'll be entered to win Saucony shoes of your choice. |
Leave a comment
“I really enjoyed this 'Remember that you're not out to impress anybody, you're not a time, ranking or statistic. You are simply a person reaching for something better.' Especially since I'm constantly reminded of this never ending injury and worrying about how it will affect my next season. thanks.”
...thanks fam - now i'm probably going to run much harder on my tempo run than originally planned :-/
Thanks!