“You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”
~ Steve Prefontaine
Why race? As American distance runner Steve Prefontaine taught us, the real purpose of racing is to test the limits of the human heart. And we should take this to mean both physically and metaphorically.
Racing is about testing personal limits, and competitors in the race aid us in this endeavor. We strive to reach new personal bests, and we achieve satisfaction knowing we put forth the best effort that we can…with what we’ve got…on any given day.
And ultimately, giving your best is what racing is all about, whether you reach the podium, set a personal record, or simply do what you can at the moment (even if you’re zapped by the remnants of a cold). We race, we gain experience, and we learn from that experience.
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
~ Steve Prefontaine, (January 25, 1951 – May 30, 1975)
