If You Can’t Run, Then Walk

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

“If you can’t run, then walk. And if you can’t walk, then crawl. Do what you have to do. Just keep moving forward and never, ever give up.” These words are from ultra-marathon runner Dean Karnazes whose ability to push both his physical and mental capacities to their limits saw him achieve remarkable feats of endurance over a twenty-year span. Proof of his incredible endurance was evident when he ran 560km over three days and nights without sleep, completed a 320km team relay - alone, ran 100 miles to the Napa Valley Marathon and then completed the actual marathon in 3 hours 15 minutes.

In his book ‘Ultramarathon Man’, Karnazes explains the psychological elements that have been critical in his ability to complete these endurance events. He considers willpower and self-control the ‘nonnegotiables’ necessary for success at any level, not just when running ultramarathons. In the numerous books Karnazes has written about his experiences, his reference point about the mind’s ability to overcome the body’s physical exhaustion and continue in the quest to finish resonates with the messages we relay to our students as educators, coaches, mentors and parents in relation to developing their resilience and willpower. When we delve deeper into the mindset of someone like Karnazes, we can begin to understand the powerful forces at play that have allowed him to excel on the world stage in the company of an elite subset of athletes.

In the field of Dean Karnazes, it was outstanding to witness the 2020 GPS Cross Country Championships at North Ryde Commons where our athletes exuded not only pure passion for the sport, but also self-control and determination in tactics throughout the race. The display of fortitude and resilience was not too dissimilar to Karnaze’s, with many athletes pushing themselves well past their self-perceived physical and mental capabilities. Although the athletes were unsuccessful in their quest for silverware, one cannot fault their selfcontrol and willpower, not only in this event, but in the attitude displayed through such a disrupted season.

Achieving second place in all three divisions is an incredible achievement and due to all members of the Cross Country squad who focussed on a goal, set themselves targets, and committed themselves wholly to the process. In doing so, they have illustrated the intangible elements of self-control and willpower that society has too often deemed lacking in our younger generations. We extend our congratulations to all athletes and in particular, Ciaran Rushton and James Tierney who were rewarded for their efforts with selection into the GPS Cross Country team.

Dean Karnazes’ philosophy illustrates the achievements of our athletes most effectively: ‘The human body is capable of amazing physical deeds. If we could just free ourselves from our perceived limitations and tap into our internal fire, the possibilities are endless.’ When we look through a lens of self-control and with it the extension of physical capabilities, we can begin to appreciate the overarching impact willpower has on success in both a curriculum and co-curriculum setting. The internal fire Karnazes refers to is intrinsic motivation and which we, as educators and coaches, aim to develop in our students. Guiding students and athletes in their search for intrinsic motivation is fundamental and allows the deferring of instant gratification and, in turn, ultimate long-term success.

Wes Dunne Deputy Head (Co-curricular)