The Absurdity of Professional Athletes Literally Starving Under Rules Built for Amateur Athletics

But if you follow track, you’ve definitely heard of Nick Symmonds. The recently retired 800m specialist sat down with Pete Hitzeman to discuss how he went out on his own terms. They cover the dispute with USA Track & Field that led to him being left off the 2015 world team, and the absurdity of professional athletes literally starving under rules built for amateur athletics.

Nick has never been shy about sharing his opinions, and this interview is no different. He minces no words about the International Olympic Committee, his thoughts on doping in international sports, and the roots of East African dominance in the middle and long distances. We also dive into why the surge in the popularity of running hasn’t carried over to track and field, why professional athletes need to remember that they only get paid to entertain, and the field event he wishes he could have tried.

You can follow Nick on YouTube and Instagram, and download his entire 2012 training log at RunGum.com.

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I also do my best to keep an open mind about everything I read (unless it promotes the Smith machine). Most others at my age – high school teenagers who are terrified by the prospect of college applications – are preoccupied with social drama or celebrity news. I am proud to say I’m not one of them. My obsession with fitness is a bit more practical.

Reevaluating Your Beliefs

People do have dogmatic judgments about athletics and sport, though, and listening to their gripes makes you reevaluate your beliefs and your reasons behind them. Like the time last year when I was hanging around during gym class and overheard one guy, a junior varsity basketball player, say to another classmate, “Track is only for people who don’t have a sport.”

Excuse me? It was obvious that his exposure to track and field, otherwise known as the ancient sport of athletics, was limited to the half-hearted attempts at making us jog on the track that seemed to be the best our gym teachers could come up with on “fitness days.” I’m pretty sure that any 100m sprinter could have caught this guy in a foot chase and made him regret what he’d just said.

But because I don’t have an army of ripped track-and-field athletes at the ready to hunt down their detractors, I’ll just have to make do with my own rebuttal against this guy’s unique brand of asininity. Dude, if you’re out there reading this: here’s why track and field is a real sport, and one that you should respect.

Naked Runners and the History of Sport

Modern people agree that the Olympic Games are the pinnacle of sports proficiency, and within these competitions you will encounter the most agile, swift, strong, explosive, and coordinated physical specimens on the planet.

We can thank the ancient Greeks for the entire concept of the Olympics. They devised the festival for no other reason than to please the gods and thank them for the freedom to develop their physical prowess. The first sports in the Olympics were feats like wrestling, boxing, pankration (an intense hybrid of the former two) – and athletics.

That’s right. The oldest humans, on whose example we founded our own civilizations, didn’t care about foul shots scored or goals saved or the player with the newest Air Jordans. They cared about being able to defend yourself (either skedaddle or stand and throw a really big rock), to sustain yourself (go build your own shelter and kill your own game), and (because they all worked out like this) to look good naked.

Basis of Sport: Character and Athleticism

Humans had to hunt before they could plant, harvest before they could feast, and build stable cities before they could worry about arbitrary physical recreation using crude balls made of animal hide. The very basis of our existence, therefore, lies in the humble skill of running really fast.

All sports require this function. Even if they don’t require it directly, you’d be a sorry athlete if you couldn’t at least sprint 400m to save your skin. Having the ability to do so only improves your sport performance, no matter what.

You can call other activities – like football, baseball, and basketball – sports because they are also quests of self-betterment and pit competitive individuals against each other. That is the legitimate rationale behind “sport.” It applies just as well, even more fundamentally so, to track and field. What is running fast or far, if not a metaphor for the internal struggle against the body’s inherent laziness?

But don’t take the stance of the basketball jock. Don’t say that soccer, for example, is a sport because it “makes sense.” By which he means it has a defined time frame for the attention-deprived mainstream and commercial investment. This is just that one guy’s superficial criteria for what is a sport. You’re much better off seeing what kind of character traits a sport instills in its athletes, and in this area track and field is one of the best.

Why Track and Field Deserves Respect

There is a steep learning curve to every event in track and field, from obviously alien pole-vaulting to hurdling to even sprinting a good 200m. People can run, but it takes years of practice to run with efficient technique and optimal power production. A verity the kid in my gym class was no doubt unaware of. Such difficult skill acquisition should make track and field a little more recognizable to he of the hard-earned slam-dunk.

Also, to be more blunt: track and field is hard. Damn hard. In terms of physiology, track and field blows up the metabolic furnace. Sprinting and striding, leaping and jumping, throwing, and striving for raw athletic improvement seem simple to a lot of people – until they’ve tried it, day in and day out.

Track and field also requires strategy, fierce competitive drive, and familiarity with the rules and regulations that govern athletic contests. It’s not for the slow, physically or mentally. There are entire research papers published that cover the complex logistics of training.

Basis of Sport: Philosophy and History

When I joined track, I quickly became engrossed in the philosophy and history of the sport. It has no ball flying around a court, diverting your attention from what you are doing with your body. There are no techniques whose practice ingrains only one non-transferable pattern of movement.

Sport distills the aliveness and delight that Homo sapiens evolved millennia ago in response to strenuous exertion, to cope with the burden of living. It is humanity’s way of laying down a spear after an unsuccessful hunt, saying, “Screw it,” and channeling all the most ferocious emotions within us into something more productive and fun.

The most fundamental method of this is through dashing and leaping and flight: making the human body fly or making rocks and spears and Paleolithic Frisbees (otherwise known as discuses) fly. I guess some contrived game with a ball works too, but there’s a lack of magic and primal-ness about that.

All of this is why it disappoints me that the perspective of track and field pervading the minds of the young is that of the basketball jock. I see the alternate profundity, the quality that makes track and field a sport despite a lack of a ball or clear time boundaries.

There is but one recourse to counter the shortsightedness of these young folks against track and field, and I hope you know what I’m thinking by now. We’ll plan world domination through a resurgence of athletes in track and field, the most basic and true form of sport there is, and rock at it until even Mr. Sporty Pants sees how badass we are.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Introducing the Breaking Muscle Dodecathlon Challenge

DAY ONE ORDER OF EVENTS

1. Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
2. 120 yd. Shuttle Run Series
3. 2:00 Sit Ups
4. 3:00 Kneel-to-Stand-to-Kneel
5. Barbell Curl-to-Overhead Press
6. Bear Crawl

DAY TWO ORDER OF EVENTS

1. Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
2. 800 Meter Run
3. Front Plank Hold
4. Body-weight Barbell Squats
5. Perfect Chin Ups – Three Sets
6. 4:00 Dumbbell Burpees with a Push Up and 1-Arm Row

EVENT SPECIFICS

Dumbbell Flat Bench Press

• Goal: to perform as many reps possible in one set. USE A SPOTTER! One (1) point for each rep performed.
• Males use 25% of body weight (200 lbs. x .25 = 50 lb. dumbbells).
• Females use 17.5% of body weight (125 lbs. x .175 = 20 lb. dumbbells).
• Start with the dumbbells at the chest, elbows below the extended line running from the bench top parallel to the floor.
• Press the dumbbells to the arms locked-out position.
• Lower to the starting position and repeat.

120 Yard Shuttle Run Series

• Goal: to run as many 120 yard shuttle run repeats at or under your designated target and rest times.
• The event terminates when you cannot achieve the target time and/or you fail to start the next repeat within the allotted rest time (click here for points chart).
• Three (3) points for each repeat performed at or under the prescribed target and rest times.

2:00 Sit Ups

• Goal: to perform as many reps possible in two minutes. One (1) point for each rep performed.
• On your back, arms crossed at chest, knees flexed at 90 degrees, feet flat on floor, and no more than 12 inches apart.
• Another person can anchor your feet.
• Contract the hip flexors and abdominals, curl up until the elbows touch the thighs.
• Return to the start so the scapulae (shoulder blades) contact with the floor.
• No resting in the down position and no bouncing off the floor.

3:00 Kneel-to-Stand-to-Kneel

• Goal: to perform as many reps possible in three minutes. One (1) point for each rep performed.
• Males use a 25 lb. weight plate.
• Females use a 10 lb. weight plate.
• On a mat or soft surface, assume a kneeling position, body upright (knees flexed at 90 degrees), and weight plate held against the chest.
• Place either the right or left foot up and out to the front.
• Use this foot to stand up. Bring the other foot up to assist with standing to a completely upright position.
• Return to the kneeling position, initiating the downward decent with the foot used to begin the stand up process.
• Bring the other foot down and back to complete the rep and assume the upright kneeling position.
• Alternate the right and left feet to initiate the stand-up process each rep.
• One rep is from kneeling-to-standing-to-kneeling.
• The weight plate must be held against the chest at all times and not allowed to assist in standing up or kneeling down.

Barbell Curl-to-Overhead Press

• Goal: to perform as many reps possible in one set. Two (2) points for each rep performed.
• Males use 30 % of body weight (200 lbs. x .30 = 60 lb. barbell).
• Females use 20 % of body weight (125 lbs. x .20 = 25 lb. barbell).
• Grasp the barbell with an underhand, shoulder-width grip. The arms should be completely extended and the bar touching the thighs.
• Curl the bar completely to the chest and press it fully overhead. Lower the bar to the chest and return to the starting position.
• Stop the bar at the thighs. Initiate the next rep with zero momentum (no bouncing the bar against the thighs).
• The event terminates when you cannot perform either the barbell curl or the overhead press.

Bear Crawl

• Goal: to crawl on only the hands and feet for as many seconds possible without stopping and/or breaking form. One (1) point for each two seconds (:02) accumulated (1:39.65 = 99.65 seconds/2 = 50 points [49.83 rounded up]).
• Begin crawling on all fours.
• You must bear crawl at a decent pace. No “slow crawling” to conserve energy.
• Keep moving until you are exhausted or any part of the body other than the hands and feet touch the ground (knees, forearms, mid-section).
• If you stop or one of the aforementioned body parts touches the ground, the event is terminated.

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press

• Goal: to perform as many reps possible in one set. USE A SPOTTER! One (1) point for each rep performed.
• Males use 17.5% of body weight (200 lbs. x .175 = 35 lb. dumbbells).
• Females use 12.5% of body weight (125 lbs. x .125 = 15 lb. dumbbells).
• Dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows lower than shoulder height, torso upright, and back stabilized on bench back rest.
• Press dumbbells overhead to the complete arms locked-out position.
• Lower to the starting position and repeat.
• Move through a full range of motion without bouncing out of the bottom position.

800 Meter Run

• Goal: to run 800 meters as fast as possible on an outdoor or indoor track (click here for points chart).

Front Plank Hold

• Goal: to hold a front plank position for as many seconds possible. One (1) point for each three (:03) accumulated (2:45.34 = 165.34 seconds/3 = 55 points [55.11 rounded down]).
• Get into the plank position on the toes and forearms.
• Maintain a completely straight position (i.e., no butt raising or sagging, head up).
• The event ends when you cannot maintain the straight-plank position (i.e., you drop to your knees, butt sags or rises, move your forearms).
• Each three seconds (:03) held counts as one point.

Body-weight Barbell Squats for Maximum Repetitions

• Goal: to perform as many reps possible in one set. One (1) point for each rep performed.
• Males use 100% of body weight.
• Females use 80% of body weight.
• All reps must achieve femur (thigh bone) parallel to the floor.
• No racking the weight. You can regain your composure between reps as it becomes more difficult, but the bar must remain on your shoulders/back.
• If you begin to lose form (abnormal low-back flexion, bouncing out of the bottom position, and/or the inability to achieve a thighs parallel to the floor position) the event is terminated.
• Perform this event inside a squat rack with safety bars set just below the height of the bar when you are in the thighs-parallel to the floor position.

Perfect Chin Ups – Three Sets

• Goal: to perform as many perfect reps possible in the three sets. A maximum one-minute rest period is allowed between sets. Two (2) points for each rep performed.
• Use a supinated (palms toward you) or neutral (palms facing each other) grip on the high bar.
• The arms should be completely extended at the start, body in a dead hang, knees flexed, and feet crossed at the ankle.
• The chin must reach the parallel line of grip position on each rep (parallel line running between the grips on the bar).
• The head must remain neutral – no upward tilting of the chin.
• NO KIPPING (no lower-body hip thrusting).
• Only perfect reps count. Pull to the chin-parallel position and lower to the arms-extended starting position each rep. NO BOUNCING. All perfect reps performed in the three sets are added. A maximum of one minute is allowed between sets.

4:00 Dumbbell Burpees with a Push Up and 1-Arm Row for Maximum Repetitions

• Goal: to perform as many reps possible in four minutes. One (1) point for each rep performed.
• Males use 10% of body weight (200 lbs. x .10 = 20 lb. dumbbells).
• Females use 7% of body weight (125 lbs. x .07 = 8 lb. dumbbells).
• Stand upright with dumbbells at your sides.
• Squat and place the dumbbells on the ground. Maintain your grip on the dumbbells.
• Jump back to a plank position.
• Perform a push up on the dumbbells.
• Perform a right arm row.
• Perform a left arm row.
• Jump back to a squat position.
• Jump up.
• Repeat.

FORMAT AND SCORING

• Perform the Dodecathlon Challenge on non-consecutive days, such as Monday and Wednesday or Sunday and Tuesday.
• The goal is to accumulate as many points possible over the 12 events.
• Each “rep” completed in the “as many reps possible” events equals a specific number of points. See scoring for each event.
• For timed-events, each second or seconds performed are worth a specific number of points. See scoring for each event.
• For the 120 yd. shuttle and 800 meter runs, use the accompanying point scale.
• Record results on the downloadable point log. Enter your results and the points will automatically calculate (except the 800 meter run – for that plase refer to the 800m run points chart).
• No more than 10:00 rest is allowed between events.
• NO CHEATING. Use proper exercise form, adhere to established work/rest times, use proper resistances based on gender and percent of body weight, and be honest.

TOTAL POINT AWARDS

• Gold medal = 600 and above
• Silver medal = 500 to 599
• Bronze medal = 400 to 499
• Almost = 300 to 399
• Maybe next time = 299 and below

Good luck and let us know how you did!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Breaking Muscle Dodecathlon Challenge – How Fit Are You? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

12 Reps with Strength and Conditioning Coach Tom Kelso

1. Who was your first coach and what did they teach you?

College is where I gained the most from one-on-one coaching. I was a (so-so) pole vaulter at The University of Iowa and the coach was Dave Nielsen, currently the Head Track and Field Coach at Idaho State and former coach of 2000 Olympic pole vault champion Stacy Dragila. Coach Nielsen was an accomplished Iowa pole vaulter and summersault long jumper (that technique was banned years ago!). He also had exceptional gymnastics ability which could be applied to the vault.

As a walk-on athlete under Coach Nielsen, I learned a heck of a lot, including:

• You have to possess a “go for the throat” mentality. That is, if you want something bad enough, you need to go all-out and do whatever it takes to get there.
• Suppress the flight of the fight or flight system. Fear naturally says stop. As a “Fiber-glasstronaut,” you cannot be fearful. You MUST overcome the possibility of disaster that can occur in an event where you perform a sprint, plant a long fiberglass pole into the box, spring off the ground, perform a gymnastics movement, fly upward in an inverted position, attempt to maneuver your body over a crossbar without dislodging it, and finally descend back to Earth to land safely.
• Engage in a sensible training program. You must get stronger: STRENGTH TRAIN. You must get faster: SPRINT. You must develop skills: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and PRACTICE. You must be mentally tough: BLOCK OUT ALL NEGATIVES.

2. Who is the coach you most admire?

Many, many coaches are deserving of admiration (Mark Asanovich, Dan Riley, Pat Summit, John Wooden, et. al.), but in my profession, my gut tells me this: Ken Mannie, Strength and Conditioning Coach at Michigan State University. Coach Mannie is one of the most intelligent, motivating, result-producing and organized people on the planet (and he’s compassionate as well!). I highly recommend you read his stuff, listen to his interviews, and talk to his athletes. You will be positively overwhelmed by him.

3. If you could have a superhero power, what would it be?

The ability to fly through the air a la Superman. No traffic jams, always a straight-line to your destination, no gasoline expense, expediency, and nature-assisted air conditioning.

4. What athlete, dead or alive, would you most like to talk with?

I have two: Jesse Owens and Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz.

Jesse Owens. 1936 Berlin Olympics. Adolph Hitler wants the Olympics to showcase his Aryan ideals. African-American Owens wins four gold medals as Hitler looks on. Touché!

Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz. He epitomized grace under pressure and had one of the ultimate “in your face” moments in sports. After the Polish Pole vaulter secured the gold medal during the course of competition at the 1980 Moscow Olympics (NOTE: as the pro-Soviet crowd booed and hissed during his attempts), he gives the 80,000+ crowd a Polish arm gesture equivalent to the middle finger. And by the way, only minutes later he vaulted 18’-11.5” to set both the Olympic and world records. How about them apples!

5. When did you know that coaching was your calling?

I backed into coaching. During my post-college years and entry into the strength & fitness world, I became skeptical with the conventional approach to training. Even back then gray-area, dangerous, and rip-off stuff began to spring up. Where we truly using the proven science behind how we lifted weights, conditioned, improved skills, and provided nutrients to our bodies, safely? Is it mostly commercially-driven or is it evidence-based? A by-product of my search for the truth was the need to lead others in the right direction with evidence-based information and sensible training plans as opposed to down the path of subjectivity, lies, and wasted efforts. This motivated me to get hands-on with people, and thus coaching became a priority. Have I pissed off a few people over the years? Absolutely I have. Someone needs to stand up for the truth.

6. What is the best and hardest part about being a coach?

The best part is the ability to help someone achieve their goals, being a “facilitator.” It is rewarding to be a positive part of their life in their pursuit to moving up from point A to point B. Hopefully this process can be a lesson for them later in life.

The hardest, without question, is two-fold:

1. Dealing with unmotivated athletes. You have the proper plan, the tools to get there, the determination to motivate them, yet you cannot convince them to come aboard (sadly, often-times it’s a great athlete).
2. Ignorant sport coaches. Understand sport coaches are hired to win and will get fired if they lose. They will believe anything and/or try anything if they think it will improve their chances to maintain a paycheck. “We need to use last year’s National Champions’ program.” Hey, team “X” looks bigger and stronger…we need to train like them.” Their “recommendations” are often used out of panic and may defy all logic, but it is either their way or the highway.

7. What is your favorite physical activity or exercise?

1. All types of strength training: circuits, high and moderate repetition protocols, barbells, dumbbells, plate-load and selectorized machines, bodyweight exercises, etc. Know this: muscle is sexier than fat! It moves the body, so make it stronger. It elevates the heart rate, so tax them by working it hard. It provides “shape” and “tone” many desire, so create a demand on it through proper exercise.

2. The ultimate kick-butt device: The Versa Climber. Spend fifteen minutes tethered to it and you will be yearning for time on a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bicycle. In P=plain English: it is brutal! Pant, pant, pant.

8. What is your favorite “cheat” food?

This is a toughie because even “good” foods in excess can become a problem: dairy products, red meat, eggs, high-glycemic fruits and vegetables, nuts, etc. But I think this question was geared to the low-nutritious, refined carbohydrates and tasty saturated fats. In that case, I vote for Girl Scout cookies and Gus’ Salsiccia Pretzels (a St. Louis tradition).

9. What is your biggest accomplishment?

Number one has been helping my son grow up to be a fine young man. Nothing beats that. Number two has yet to happen. Yes, I have done this and that, but nothing ultra-significant. I am not a philanthropist, but I hope someday I will perform some significant act of altruism to better society. Stay tuned.

10. What do you bring to your students/clients that is different than other coaches and programs?

I am a veteran of the strength and fitness field. I have seen the good, bad, and ugly over the years. I know old-school methods and techniques still work to this day work (READ: time-proven exercises and hard work). I know people are trying to reinvent the wheel and develop their own niche in the field, but I scoff at things that are commercially driven and/or unproven by evidence-based research. Many are making their own facts up based on unsubstantiated proof and conjecture. It is a sad case since so many Americans are obese, out of shape, frail, and need those sorry scooters to get around.

Regarding athletes, the same applies: hard work on basic (AND SAFE) strength training exercises, demanding (AND SAFE) conditioning modes, emphasis on proper skill repetition and refinement (perfect practice makes perfect), being mentally tough, and hoping you possess optimal genetic endowment for your sport (e.g., body-type, muscle fiber type). That will take you a long way.

The point: I am a no-nonsense, anti-fluff training advocate. I will steer you clear of all the hooey out there. I was never genetically-gifted, so I had to bust my butt for anything. I envied those who had natural ability, but exuded laziness and apathy yet still became successful. The average man and woman cannot succeed without working hard. I attempt to be the voice of sanity and reason for the common person so they do not waste their time and become disappointed.

11. What is your favorite quote?

“The pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Take your pick.”

12. What was/is your favorite sport and why?

Well, because I am a former “track guy,” there is a place in my heart for track and field athletes. They are the epitome of the rudimentary athletic expressions of running, jumping, and throwing…how fast, how high, and how far. However…

I love college and professional football. As strength and conditioning coach of college football athletes and an astute follower of the National Football League, I can attest to what they go through: weeks and weeks of off-season strength training, conditioning, organized practices, optional practices, position-specific work, and film study. All of this for only twelve (college) or sixteen (pros) three-hour periods per year! Think about it: imagine if your job security relied on less than twenty three-hour periods during the year. That is a lot of pressure. It is pretty much a once per week do or die event that can determine the fate of a scholarship, paycheck, coaching job, and post-season participation. That is awesome. Capitalism. Produce now or be gone.

Click here to read articles from Tom.

Click here to do the Mature Athlete Workouts, for masters and boomers.

If you missed any editions of 12 Reps, be sure to check out our archives. You never know who we might talk to and what might get said!

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A new study performed by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital discovered that from 1991 through 2008 more than 159,000 children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 years had visited an emergency room for a track-related injury. Additionally, the annual number of track-related injuries increased 36% during this span. The results from this study show that a better job must be done at implementing injury-prevention protocols in the children participating in track-related events.¹

The study revealed that the most common injuries were sprains and/or strains, fractures, and dislocations. The study included sprinting, cross country, running, hurdles, relays, stretching and/or drills, and other activities. The activities that resulted in the most injuries were running (59%) and hurdles (23%). The ankle (21%), knee (16.6%), and pelvis (11%) were the most commonly injured body parts. Also worth noting, is that girls were found more likely to sustain an injury to the lower extremities than to other body regions, and boys were twice more likely to withstand pelvic injuries than injuries to other areas of the body. However, boys were more likely than girls to endure a laceration, fracture, or dislocation. Girls were more likely to sustain sprains or strains.²

“Participation in track is a great way to encourage children and adolescents to remain physically active,” said Lara McKenzie, PhD, principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy and senior author of the study. “However, the increase in injuries corresponding with the increased participation in this activity suggests we need to do a better job of preventing track-related injuries among our young athletes.”³

“We found that the most commonly injured body parts varied across activity and across age group. For instance, elementary students were more likely to sustain upper extremity injuries while high school students were more likely to sustain lower leg injuries,” said Dr. McKenzie, also a professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “With this in mind, track-related injury prevention efforts may need to be tailored by activity for different age groups in order to most effectively address the injury concerns the athletes are facing.”⁴

In conclusion, this study demonstrates the need for injury-prevention protocols for each specific area of track-related sports. What may be a successful safety measure for one area may very well be detrimental to another. While track and field is an excellent sport to involve children in, it should be done safely and with an education in injury prevention.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Adriane’s love of sports began at a young age. She was raised in an active family that encouraged her to try new sports and activities. “Growing up, my parents were extremely supportive, so when we wanted to try something new, they were all about, ‘Let’s go find out how you do it!’” Perhaps that explains, to some extent, Adriane’s wide array of athletic abilities. Her mom and dad met on the rifle team in college, and Wilson credits her parents as well as her sister for a lot of her athletic interests during childhood. “I have one older sister, and she was always paving the way for me. She did softball; I did softball. She started track and field; I started track and field. I really have my sister to thank for that. She was definitely more interested in sports at first, and I just followed!” Adriane went on to earn seven national titles in college track and field, as well as six runner-up honors.

In fact, right now Adriane’s primary focus is on the June Olympic shot putting trials. She’s been there before, but under slightly different circumstances. In Fall 2003, just before the 2004 Olympic trials, Adriane was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, “That kind of side-tracked everything. I had to take six months for chemo, and go through all that horribleness. But I was able to still train.” And train she did. Adriane worked with her college coach, Jud Logan at Ashland University, who also introduced her to Charles Poliquin of the Poliquin Strength Institute. Adriane trained once a month with Poliquin during the last half of her chemo treatment, and she was still able to qualify for the Olympic trials. “During my training I was able to make it through going through chemo, and still lifting, still throwing…the distance of my throws wasn’t quite where it needed to be, but considering all that was going on, I was very happy with how it was going.”

Adriane had a lot of support to help get her through this difficult period. “I was always surrounded by people who supported me and pushed me along. I know they were concerned, but they never showed that they felt bad for me. It was always, ‘You have a goal. You have to work harder and push through.’ And that was one of the reasons I was able to work so hard. I don’t think anybody really made me feel like I wasn’t doing well.” Adriane was still in college at the time, and being with her teammates kept her motivated and optimistic. She also did her chemo treatments near her family, about 100 miles from her college campus, which helped her stay focused. “I was able to kind of separate the awful chemo part by saying, ‘Okay, I’m going to go away for a couple of days, to go back home and have the treatment.’ But then when I got back to Ashland, I could forget about the bad stuff and just focus on the training.”

Not only did Adriane continue to train through her treatment, but she managed to place fifth in the 2004 Olympic trials! And that’s just the beginning. Life had a lot in store for Adriane, including a whole new sport altogether: Highland Athletics. Adriane’s introduction to the sport started as a casual invitation from some of her friends:

At that time I was super into shot putting for track and field. And some of the guys said, ‘Hey, Adriane, you’d be great at this! It’s a lot of fun, you should come out and throw.’ And I was like, ‘Well, maybe when I’m done throwing the shot put because I’m super serious about it.’ But I did go out and train with them a couple of times, and it was a lot of fun. And I decided I wanted to kind of switch gears…I competed in my first Games and I had so much fun.

That was back in November of 2008. Her marks at her first competition earned her a spot at the World Championships in 2009, where she finished third. And as they say, the rest is history. Adriane took the World Champion title for the following three years, and is the current women’s world champion. According to Adriane, Highland Athletics offered a bit of variation from the shot put, but it also overlapped with a lot of her training. “The kind of training didn’t change that much, but for the throwing, I had eight other events to learn, so that kept me interested in what was going on.” Adriane continues to compete in both Highland Athletics and the shot put.

What strikes me most about Adriane’s story is her amazing dedication and persistence. Even throughout her struggle with cancer, she set goals for herself and stuck to those goals. That mental toughness is admirable in and of itself. When I’ve seen Adriane compete at the Highland Games, her athletic prowess and generosity of spirit just shine through. She’s always smiling, cheering on her fellow competitors, and throwing rocks and cabers like nobody’s business. Her amazing spirit makes her a true champion.

Adriane Wilson isn’t just an amazing athlete – she’s also a coach!

Read part two of our interview with Adriane:

Do As I Say And Do As I Do: An Interview with Adriane Wilson, Part 2

The post Strength Through Adversity: An Interview With Adriane Wilson, Part 1 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.