Saucony 2009 - fam Sustain the PainAugust 3, 2009 I have been quite busy lately so I apologize for the delay posting the new blog. I decided to try something new for the blog this week. I was cleaning house going through some old paperwork I have here and came across this letter I wrote to a close friend in 2003. It is a personal letter I thought I might share as a past experience some of you dedicated runners may relate to. So enjoy. Also, since the release of Run Reckless a lot of you have been emailing asking where to get a copy of the films theme song. So feel free to email me at runfam@gmail.com and I'll email you a free MP3 of it.
"Sustain the Pain" Time in my life is very important. It controls me and in a way I control it. Each day my every intention is to condition myself physically and mentally to defeat time. I ask myself, "How can I push myself to beat the clock? How can I get a step ahead of each second on the clock?" It is a constant struggle. One that never leaves my mind. You might think that dealing with this endeavor would make ones life rushed or speed things up somehow, but it does just the opposite. I've learned a hard lesson over the past eight years in my career as an athlete. The lesson is simple. In order to defeat time one must start with patience. Patience is not the wasting of time, because when you become patient time becomes more valuable to you. As time passes you respect it more, miss it more, need it more, pay more attention to it and ultimately let it become part of your existence. I've had many nightmares in my life concerning time. Dreams where time stands still, completely still. Still to the point that I am no longer in motion and I cannot move, my eyelids cannot open, I'm sitting frozen paralyzed by time as it passes me. It tortures, taunts me. Let's me know who's in charge, where I belong and where I don't. My job as a runner is to get ahead of time. When I'm paralyzed like this in dreams it feels as if time has caught up to my constant pushing ahead. This is the never ending struggle day in and day out that I experience. With each new interval, every weight rep, every sit up, I push through and count down 5-4-3-2-1 until the pain ends. I push myself to meet these seconds and deal with the physical demand until it no longer hurts and I can sustain my pain though time longer. I'll tell myself, "one more lap, one more lap, push through it again." I'll go until my lungs burn, my heart aches from the pounding, my eyes tear, and I become so drained that I can't speak or walk. I push like this because I know in my heart the pain the struggle and the torment will all pay off in the end. This is how I experience life as a runner. This is the world I live in. In my world it is important to hurt at times. Because at the end of EVERY race is achievement, especially when you work so hard to get it. The harder you work the more rewarding it is and the more successful you become. Run Reckless -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
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One of the guys I used to coach(who now goes to Gtown- not for track) was trying to break 5 in the mile yesterday and emailed him about the new video. He emails right back with some nice words of encouragement and good luck etc. When a super elite runner takes time to do that for someone just trying to break 5 min for the mile that is how you show character and help develop the sport- even a tiny bit. Its again putting into practice what he was talking about in the last blog- albeit at a slightly different level haha. Outstanding!
THAT
WAS
DEEP!
fam you are the man!
“That's not fare, man! You can't be such an amazing runner AND a terrific writer!
Nice work, Fam! Thanks for posting ... I look forward to reading them every time.”
think this should form the basis of a coaches bible and coaching manuel.
Every serious athlete should have a copy on their wall and wear it every day to train in!
Spoken like a true elite athlete.
Keep this stuff coming man- we need more to keep us going out every day to train harder and tougher!
Cheers- wish you could talk to our club runners and coaches.
unknown poem below...enjoy!
Today is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it … or use it for good.
But what I do today is important because
I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes,
This day will be gone forever.
Leaving in its place
Something that I have traded for it.
I want it to be gain and not loss,
Good and not evil,
Success and not failure,
In order that I shall not regret
The price that I have paid for it.
– Unknown
Nice work, Fam! Thanks for posting ... I look forward to reading them every time.