Echo Moments: Forging a New Normal
Many of us are seeing who we are without the noise.
We have shifted. We have etched new paths for our success through creating space for grace, mindset shifts, and allowing our reckoning moments to lead our transformation to a new normal. We have embraced the process of what we are going through. My hope is our old mindsets have changed so much that we realize our lives are worth much more than our previous state. But are we slowing down enough to see the shifts we have made to recognize and celebrate the leaps we have taken?
Maybe today you are in a place of stagnancy. Please hear me that you are valuable. Things will settle and it might look different, but I encourage you to be patient and give yourself grace.
From my point of injury to the point of winning the Paralympic silver medal was 7 years. We must embrace the new normal process and the process that we are moving forward. There is light at the end of the tunnel. This is the hope we have.
I just returned from the National Speakers Association 2022 Influence Conference hosted by the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN, and I was flooded with the synergy of how powerful our echo moments can be that return to us during, within, and after we make major shifts to the new normal.
Echo Moments
If my life story can help another individual overcome what they are going through in life I would call them ripples. But much more now I measure the echoes that come back. Echo moments. These moments we have in our lives we might not pay attention to. We send something out and it continues to spread, and it will come back if we are listening, and we are then able to gauge if we are on the right path or need to course correct. As we see the shifts, we can also see the echo moments.
Forge a new normal. Stay the course. Make the jump yours!
“Go forth and inspire your world!” — JR
#mindset #newnormal #silvermedal #inspireyourworld
Photographer (top): Danielle Thurman-Trina
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We Earn What We Earn
There is a famous 30-second Nike commercial featuring the great WNBA player, Lisa Leslie, titled, “You don’t win silver, you lose the gold”.
When I first saw this commercial I was like, “Yeah!”
But, then after I won the silver medal in Sydney, Australia in the Long Jump at the Paralympic Games, I was a bit more reserved in my enthusiasm about the commercial. I realized that I put a lot of effort into winning that medal.
Truthfully, I understand where this philosophical thinking comes from and why people would consider the NIKE message a powerful one. Everyone wants to win first place. It does not matter if it is in athletic competition, academic rivalry for valedictorian, or business opposition to win a contract; we all desire the top spot.
I am no different. I want to win.
After further review of my own sentiments I came to the conclusion that I no longer agreed with my previous position. I now believe that this statement underscores a deeper problem in sport and our society, which is an “entitlement” mentality.
I believe in sports, as in life, we earn what we earn, and we win what we win. To take the stance that I lost the gold medal at those games means firstly, I discounted the efforts and achievement of the winner, in this case, Lukas Christen from Switzerland. When he won the gold, he was the two-time reigning champion. He won because he outworked, out-prepared, and out-executed me, by 4.5 inches to win his third consecutive Paralympic long jump title.
Secondly, a statement like that discredits the work that I put in to winning the silver medal. And let me tell you, I did a lot of work to earn that silver medal! 20 years’ worth of work.
Let me break down for you why I earned this silver medal. It all has to do with a shifting of focus, the effort in preparation, and the exceptional execution of the goal.
I competed in two Olympic trials in three different sports and was the eighth fastest 400-meter hurdler in the country at the time before the disabling injury the resulted in the amputation of my left leg.
It took me 2 ½ years to get my nerve back to step foot on a track again, let alone relearn how to run with an artificial leg. It was not until my third year, post-amputation, that I retaught myself how to run again. It was not an easy process.
I knew how to train, but I had to figure out my energy system. The energy expended for an above-the-knee amputee is three times that of a person with full limb mobility.
Second, I was ignorant. I did not know what I did not know when it came to the mechanics of artificial knees. For 6 months I was unable to figure out why my artificial leg was hyper extending when I ran. I needed an extension stopper, a piece of metal that stops the leg from going into hyper-extension. I went through three or four hydraulic knees, and 12 weeks of missed training, before a prosthetist from the manufacture told me what was happening.
Third, I was ignorant to the various density of hydraulic fluid in the knee that directly correlates to how fast the knee will return in a running motion. Five days before my long jump at the Paralympic Games, another prosthetist who was watching my practice session told me that I was overpowering the knee unit. In other words, I was running too fast for the knee unit I was using. He called the manufacturer, who overnighted another hydraulic knee with more viscosity allowing me to run faster.
Every athlete that competes in the Olympic and Paralympic games has a dream of winning the gold. For the majority of athletes who are fortunate enough to make it to the Olympic or Paralympic games, that will be the highlight of their career. For a select few, the honored medalists, they will cherish something very few people ever get to experience: having their country’s flag raised in recognition of their efforts and their national anthem played.
Pundits will have us believe the only spot that really matters is the top spot. There is some truth to that. No one wants to be second in a business deal, or be first person out of the job interview, or the runner up in a pageant. But there is a quiet resolve that lies in not winning that pushes one to be better the next time. This resolve is valuable and should never be discounted.
In American society I have seen the entitlement mentality play out in other professions.
One example is youth sports where the attitude is everyone is entitled to a medal. It is almost comical to see this played out in a game of tee-ball or 3 v 3 youth soccer. No one is supposed to keep score. The focus is supposed to be on skill development, friendship, and fair sport. Yet, when the game is over and the kids have run through the parent tunnel. Or, when the oranges or other snacks have been consumed and the mini-vans are reloaded, the very first questions I often hear young athletes and parents are: “How many goals did I score.” Or “how many runs did we get?” “Who really won that game.”
Let’s not kid ourselves, we all keep score.
As an athlete, my thought process was no different. I wanted to win the gold medal. It was not my goal or desire to travel 9756 miles from Northern Virginia to Sydney, Australia and come back with anything less. I do not know of any athlete who goes to a competition looking to win second place.
That is why I believe that “losing the gold” drives an entitlement mentality. The premise negates the work that goes into performance and being satisfied with the outcome of the results.
My ignorance about my new equipment coupled with having to learn how to run again were not easy. Yet, three years after taking my first running steps on my prosthesis, I was the second-best long jumper in the world. I was being honored to represent the United States of America in the Olympic stadium having earned the silver medal! You had better believe that I am proud of that.
My stance is this: We earn gold, silver, and bronze. We also earn fourth, fifth, sixth, or whatever position the result concludes. To say that you did not earn those positions, or that you should have done better, is to say you were entitled to something that you did not deserve or earn.
We earn what we earn.
Life’s False Starts Prove Great for New Beginnings!
I ran the lead off leg for the Arkansas Razorbacks 4x400m relay. I can say from experience that the race is one of the most grueling in track and field. The last 100m is the most painful of the race no matter what shape an athlete is in. Because I knew the pain was coming I used to literally cry before starting for the Hogs!
For those who don’t know how painful this race can be, I suggest going to your local track and, after a proper warm-up, attempting to run one lap, without stopping, at a full sprint. You may want to get a doctor’s note if you’re a
ctually considering sprinting the race — especially if you are out of shape. Believe me, you will cry too! But, please try not to pass out on me — I need you to read my next blog.
The best runners in the 400m dedicate themselves to a rigorous training regime so they are able to run several rounds of races before the finals in large competitions and one of the most crucial points of the race is the start. In general terms the shorter the distance the more important the start becomes. It is critical for the athlete to have the best start possible in order to be competitive. The longer the race the start is not as crucial because the runner can make up more time during the race.
In the 400m, the start is a critical part of the race, although it is less important than in the 100m because it is a longer race and the athlete can make up more time during the race due to the greater distance.
Now on to my story. Christine Ohuruogu, a 400m sprinter from Great Britain, false started in the 400m. This is almost never heard of. She instantly was removed from her lane as per the rules and was unable to contest for the medal in the 400m dash at the world championship race in 2011.
American 1-lap Queen Sanya Richards-Ross stated, “It’s so rare that you hear the second gun in the 400m – I thought it was a malfunction,” she told the BBC. “In the call room we were like, aw man. I’m disappointed for her.”
Consider that Ohuruogu had worked all year to get into form and into the world championships. All of the grueling workouts, all of the months of training, all of the injuries overcome, that led up to this one race were rendered useless because of one false start, in one race.
- She was devastated.
- Her teammates were devastated.
- Her coaches were devastated.
- Her competitors were even sympathetic to her plight, and became more aware of the consequences of a false start.
- The media – “cheeky”
It is so easy to be critical and put ourselves in the shoes of others and say “I would never do that.” But really, how many of us have made a mistake, a straight up boneheaded mistake in life? I know I have. The difference is our mistakes aren’t broadcast to the world for others to judge, as Christine Ohuruogu’s was.
Wouldn’t it be great if we all took the mindset to pick people up when they make mistakes? Recognize the error – yes, but don’t let someone live in that one mistake, forever. Think about it?
- How many of these moments can you change in a day?
- How many people can you help back up?
- What would you do seeing someone at a low point? Would you help them up, like Christine’s coaches and teammates, or would you kick them while they are down like the media at the 2011 Track and Field World Championship?
We all know when we have made a mistake and people aren’t telling us anything new when they talk about our mistakes. They are only restating the obvious without offering any constructive advice. I think a lesson on how to deal with a negative situation and turn it in to a positive is in order.
In his book, One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard has a section entitled “The One Minute Reprimand.” The reprimand begins with something good the employee, or in this case the athlete has done, before allowing the employee or athlete to articulate their feelings about what went wrong. It is then followed by several things a person can do to correct their mistake and a statement about how they are valued as person despite their mistake. This method of mistake correction is a great tool to have in your arsenal and will help the person reprimanded perform better in the future.
So, back to Ms. Ohuruogu. Even though she was disqualified from the open 400, 1 year later she learned from the error (maybe used it as inspiration) and blasted to a silver medal in the London Olympic Games!
The London papers were ecstatic, less cheeky, Ms. Ohuruogu performed brilliantly through the rounds and then won the silver medal! Despite the 2011 setback she hurdled her adversity and demonstrated the true spirit of an adversity overcomer.
When faced with adversity, you can decide whether to settle into your setbacks, or to roar forward and make the best of bad situation.
I believe low points in life allow for the highest potential and from mistakes we can surge back to triumph over adversity and then we can share our lessons with others to inspire them to greatness!
Go forth and inspire your world!
John
Queen of the 1-Lap (400m)
Sanya Richards Ross – Hear Ye Her!
Sanya Richards Ross has run more sub 50’s in the 400m than any other woman on the planet. Her career has been breath taking. She has staked her claim on the World stage by winning the 400m in 2012 London Games.
The Jamaican American, 5’8 powerhouse, and University of Texas Alum has racked up quite an impressive Team USA track resume which includes:
- 2004 Olympic Games, 4x400m gold medalist
- 2008 Olympic Games, 4x400m gold medalist, 400m bronze medalist
- 2012 Olympic Games, Gold in 400-Meter, Gold in 4×400 Relay
In 2009 she was named IAAF World Female Athlete of the Year and was nominated for the prestigious Laureus Award, in the same category.
In February 2015 she will have been married for 5 years to NFL outstanding corner-back Aaron Ross who won a Superbowl with the NY Giants during the 2008 season.
Sanya is one of the BP TeamUSA athletes and I was fortunate to catch up with her (she is very hard to catch up with, she’s pretty fast) and ask her what was the turning point from just playing track to realizing she could dominate in this sport as well as who was in her life to inspired her.
Find out more about this stellar young lady on her website at SanyaRichardsRoss.com and catch her 2014 Diamond League 400 win in Brussels earlier this year.
16 Minutes with First Lady Michelle Obama! Part 3
MEETING #3 – 2 minutes
The First Lady was coming to Colorado to open up the Warrior Games an inter-service military sporting event hosted by Deloitte and the United States Olympic Committee for wounded ill and injured service members who serve in America’s Armed Forces. This year there was also an exhibition team from Great Britain.
Prior to Mrs. Obama’s speech at the Olympic Training Center she visited Hillside Community Center to say thank you to the volunteers who were making phone calls over the past weekend on behalf of the re-election campaign that past weekend.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/first-lady-part-03-01.jpg” size=”33″ caption=”The First Lady came by the Hillside Community Center to say thank you to hundreds of volunteers.”]As one of 35 Co-Chairs for OFA I was asked to warm up the volunteers who had been invited to a special “closed event” with the First Lady, as well as introduce the speakers on the program.
Again, very humbled an honored to do this.
Hillside Community Center in Colorado Springs serves a great need in Colorado Springs but was on the chopping block in the city budget cuts. I am glad the city has kept these doors open to many community members who live in House District 17.
After I finished the emceeing of the event on the main floor of the gymnasium Alice and I were taken upstairs to stand in line with about 60 people to meet Mrs. Obama. She entered the room and all eyes fixed on her. At 6 feet tall the First Lady has a commanding presence. But her humbleness and graciousness extends far above her stature.
I noticed how she took time to listen to each person that was presented to her as well as give them a big hug. I have been fortunate to meet four Presidents and none have been as outgoing as the Obama’s. That last comment does not have anything to do with how well they were or were not effective in office just how genuine a person is.
When it was our turn to meet the First Lady she remembered both Alice and me from the State dinner.
“Wasn’t that such a wonderful event! And John Legend was awesome. We’ll have to do that again sometime,” the First Lady said as she gave Alice a great big Momma Bear Hug.
I really hope we can do that again! I’m sure SHE will do it again – I just don’t know if we will get another invite! And, if we do, hopefully it will come to the right John Register! LoL
We took another photo with her and then were ushered downstairs by the secret service to hear her speak.
When she was announced to the eager volunteers the cheers in the little Hillside Community Center erupted into a frenzied pitch.
She took to the podium and…she took over the crowd.
I was scrambling trying to get my camera out and ready to take a photo when I overheard the First Lady say “And, let’s not forget Co-Chair John Register who has done a remarkable job.”
What…? Me? In her notes?
16 Minutes with First Lady Michelle Obama! Part 1
MEETING #1 – 6 minutes
(FLOTUS) Speaks to youth on getting more active at American University. I’m far left next to Mrs. Benita Mosely
First of all, if you do not want to read any further, I just want to say we have a beautiful, classy, warm-hearted and down-to-earth First Lady in Michelle Obama. To coin a phrase from one of my favorite sports commentator Stuart Scott, she’s just, “Cool, like the other side of the pillow.”
To say I was ecstatic to receive an assignment from my employer, the United States Olympic Committee, to lead a group of Paralympic Ambassadors and assist in the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative at American University in Washington, D.C., would be an understatement. The fact that both Mrs. Obama and Samantha Cameron (affectionately known as Sam Cam) who is the British Prime Minister’s wife would be in attendance was the real crown.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/first-lady-01-02.jpg” size=”50″ align=”right”]The event was star-studded. I mean we had 80 phenomenal kids from the great states of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia coupled with amazing athletes like Benita Fitzgerald Mosely (100m Hurdle Champ 1984 Olympic Games) Dan O’Brien (Olympic Champion Decathlon); Lisa Leslie (4x Olympic Gold Medalist basketball); April Holmes (100m Paralympic Champion); Dominique Dawes (The darling of the 1996 Olympic Gymnastics Team); and Kortney Clemons (Paralympic hopeful and Purple Heart Recipient from the War on Iraq); who all volunteered their time to challenge these youth to inspire others to become more active.
And while President Barack Obama and SamCam’s husband, Prime Minister David Cameron, were enjoying an awkward hot dog at the opening of the final four basketball game, we (Olympians and Paralympians) were in the gym at American University leading 80 rambunctious kids through various sports stations.
My day was going great! A) All my athletes were at the gym and on time, and B) I was paired with the amazing Lisa Leslie at the Basketball station.
Decathlete Dan O’Brien escorted Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Cameron through the various sports stations and after the First Ladies were finished with their tour, Dan then called each of us working the stations to come to be introduced.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/first-lady-01-03.jpg” size=”50″ caption=”JR and Lisa Leslie”]It was Lisa and my turn to meet Mrs. Obama.As I made my way to her I could not help but notice how long, lean and graceful the First Lady is. She is very comfortable in who she is.
Dan introduced Lisa and Mrs. Obama quickly started spilling stats on Lisa to Mrs. Cameron.
Now that’s just cool.
She then looked to me for verification of the facts and though I followed Lisa Leslie’s career, I don’t know all her stats, but like the Eurythmics song, “Sweet Dreams are Made of This,” lyrics state, “Who am I to disagree.”
Mrs. Obama then introduced herself to me. “Hi, I’m Mrs. Michelle Obama (or something of that effect.)
In my mind I was saying, “Like I don’t know who you are.” I was so honored and humbled I could barely remember my own name!
The mood was so warm at that moment and her personality had put me at ease that I decided to tell her about some of the issues I was having.
You see my wife Alice and I were invited to the President’s State Dinner in honor of the Cameron’s visit to America. The official welcome was the next day. I joked with April (the 100m dash champ from Beijing) the day before that Alice had so many dresses in the closet that she could pick from a bunch she had not worn. April looked at me like I was a cross-eyed Billy goat. She obviously did not think that was funny.
April and my conversation went something like this.
April: “Are you really going to allow Alice to come meet the First Lady with something she has hanging in the closet.”
John: “Well, since you put it that way, and with that attitude, and with your neck moving like that, I guess my answer is no.”
So, having that conversation in the back of my mind I greeted the Mrs. Obama. The following is only my recollection of how our short conversation went. It is NOT verbatim.
John: “It is an honor to meet you and thank you for this initiative that is getting kids active.”
Mrs. Obama: “Well, thank all of you for being such strong role models for these youth!”
(She then gave me a big hug)
John: “Our pleasure Ma’am. My wife and I are also looking forward to coming to your little shindig tomorrow night in honor of the Prime Minister and Mrs. Cameron.
Mrs. Obama: “We are so looking forward to it as well. I think it is going to be a great time and we certainly look forward to seeing you there.
John: “You know First Lady you’re setting me back a bit because I have to give the debit card to my wife to buy a new dress. And, she is having problems finding something that works in our budget!”
It was then that I wanted to say in comedian Kevin Hart fashion, “You see my checking account is tied to my savings account…”
To which Mrs. Obama just let out a laugh and a big smile.
Mrs. Obama: “I am sure she will be lovely!”
We had some more pleasant words after that but I don’t remember the rest of the conversation.
Now I don’t know if I should count this next meeting as a second meeting or a continuation of the first meeting? You tell me?
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/first-lady-01-04.jpg” size=”33″ align=”center” caption=”JR and FLOTUS backstage Let’s Move”]After the remarks the athletes were taken for official photos by the White House photographer with Mrs. Obama. We exchanged a few more cordial words and I reassured her I would see her the next evening.
Hurdling Adversity: 1 Minute to Change A Life
A few years ago a friend invited me to read Mitch Albom’s book “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. The book is about people we interact with everyday who have had profound impacts on our life. Some we know and recognize right away and others, who may come in our lives quickly and leave just as fast, are less recognizable.
My take away from the book is that we never know the impact someone has on our life or the impact we may have on theirs. People inspire us all the time, and in turn, we inspire others. While we are living in this world, I believe it is important for all of us to tell those who have inspired us exactly that.
As I was reading Mr. Albom’s book, I was reminded of a story that changed my perspective in my early running days as a wide-eyed red-shirted freshman at the University of Arkansas (U of A) and a person who inspired me more than she knew. With her few words and matter-of-fact delivery she changed the way I viewed myself, my competitors and eventually the way I lived my life.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/blog_jeannette-bolden_d.jpg” size=”100″ align=”center”]Her name is Jeannette Bolden.
Ms. Bolden has been the head coach at the University of California, Los Angeles for the past 18 years, but in 1985 when this story takes place, she was fresh off her Olympic gold medal win as a member of the 4×100 meter relay.
This is how the story unfolded.
I was fortunate to make the Arkansas track team’s trip to Dallas, Texas and compete in my first open indoor track and field meet with my new teammates. The competition was the prestigious Dallas Morning News Invitation and my race was the 55m High Hurdles (HH)
The atmosphere was electric. There were so many athletes and spectators. There were so many track and field teams. The track surface was wooden and nothing like I had ever seen before. It was also very bouncy.
I listened to my teammate Mike Conley about how to run sprints on the bouncy boards, as well as took advice from my hurdle training partner Fred Cleary. But nothing really could have prepared me for this experience.
Sometimes in life we have to live in order to learn.
Truth be told I was just nervous. Actually, I was scared. Everyone looked so fast and experienced. I had more than butterflies in my stomach; I felt like there were little hamsters running sprint races on a treadmill trying to catch those butterflies.
I had to get control of myself. So, instead of succumbing to my fears of what I could not control, I decided that I would put my mind in a familiar place. I found my mind floating back to the warm-ups I did at my old high school in Oak Park, IL. Oak Park was a familiar point of reference for me where I had run literally hundreds of practices and races. I did a proper warm-up and prepared myself for my first big-time collegiate race.
There is an old adage that reminds us all that, “Perfect Practice Prevents Poor Performance.”
I would run the prelims and hopefully qualify for the finals.
The clerk called the hurdlers out to the track for our race. I am sure the other freshman hurdlers were just as nervous as I.
The indoor sprints are a sight to see. They are run straight down the middle of the track. Just past the finish line a section of the track, where the elevated curve would be, is removed to allow the athletes enough space to decelerate. Well actually, in the old days, there was usually not enough space for the athletes to decelerate; they would stop abruptly by slamming full speed into a high jump landing pad conveniently place against a wall and tilted on its side.
I took a few run-throughs over the first couple of hurdles to get a good feel for the track. It was bouncy and very giving as Mike and Fred stated it would be. I felt a bit off balance.
The starter lined us up and then called us to our marks. I dropped to my hands and I backed into my blocks.
My feet found the starting pads of the blocks and my hands rested just behind the white paint on the track surface. I was in a couched position. My eyes were focused straight down for the moment.
I exhaled while slowly lowering my head toward the ground. I was in a complete relaxed position.
The starter called us to the position and I drew in a quick breath filling my lungs with the recycled air of the arena. My backside rose into the air just above shoulder height as my shoulders rolled slightly forward. My eyes were opened wide with determination and were now looking about 3 feet in front of me. I was set and ready to uncoil and pounce on the first hurdle.
The gun went off and I sprang from my coiled position toward the first barrier. I exhaled violently as I pressed my body toward the first hurdle.
All I remember about that race was getting to the first hurdle before my competitors; the rest of the race was a blur. I crossed the finish line and slammed into the high jump mat, which sharply stopped my forward momentum.
I turned around and walked back to the finish line in my lane to receive my placing and time. Before I could make it to the line I heard the shouts of my Arkansas teammates coming from the grand stands. When I looked up I saw my teammates cheering for me and shouting down to me that I had won my heat!
Really?
Really!
I reached the finish line and faced the official. He confirmed the shouts of my teammates.
I was blown away. My first major race in college and I had just won! I had qualified for the finals!
In the finals the same thing happened. The competition was a bit stiffer because it was comprised of those who advanced, yet I again went to that familiar place in my mind to shed my nervousness. I again relaxed and when it was all over I had won the final as well!!
I was elated!
But my journey to Dallas was not finished. After the win in the 55mHH the official proceeded to reach into his vest pocket and give me an invitation to come later and compete in the night division invitational!
Wow! The night division invitation I thought. I get to run again. But in reality… I had no idea what that meant.
Later, I found out that I would be competing against all the people I had emulated and idolized as a hurdler while growing up in Oak Park. I was going to be racing against my heroes Greg Foster, Renaldo Nehemiah, Tony Dees and Roger Kingdom! Nehemiah had just returned from his stint in the NFL. I was amazed, honored and mesmerized to be on the same track as them.
I remembered that I had a small disc camera back at the hotel. I would bring it back so I could take some pictures of my heroes! After all I would be up close and personal with these great hurdlers and I certainly wanted to get some great shots with them.
The night fell over Dallas and the entire indoor arena changed. There was a transformation in the atmosphere. Though it remained electric the arena turned into all glitz and glamour.
My invitation pass allowed me to go down under the arena for my warm-up. I was armed with my track bag, my spikes and my camera. I saw all of my hero’s warming up.
Ooo, there’s Greg Foster – *(Click); Ooo, there’s Nehemiah (click); Ooo, there’s Roger Kingdom (click). I began taking photos of them and tried to be very inconspicuous. I hoped I was getting some really good shots.
After about 30 minutes the starter called all of us out of the warm up area and to our lanes for our respective heats. I put my camera away and went over to my lane. I don’t remember what lane I was in, but I do remember to this day the announcer’s introduction.
He was speaking in a voice that was worthy of hyping up any great prize fight.
He began his audience greeting and introduction of athletes something like this.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Dallas Morning News Indoor Track and Field Meet. On the track now is event number 35 the men’s 55mHH.
In LANE FOUR…”He has set the American record at this distance just last week. He was runner-up at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles! Please welcome……Mr. Greg Foster!”
In LANE FIVE… “He is your Gold medal winner from the 1984 Games… Please welcome… Mr. Roger Kingdom.”
I was in lane 6 and prepared myself for my big introduction. After all I had just won the collegiate division earlier that day!
“In lane six… John Register, University of Arkansas.”
IN LANE SEVEN!!!
What??? I was mad. How dare the announcer disrespect me like that! I thought in my mind, I’ll show them!
I jumped up and down to prepare my legs to run and to beat these athletes and show the announcer that he messed with the wrong one today!
The starter called us to our marks.
I placed my hands behind the white starting line just as I had done twice earlier in the day. But this time I was more anxious and a little upset. I was not relaxed. External thoughts were clouding my focus.
Carl Gustav Jung says this about our focus being clouded, “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding about ourselves.”
I was about to understand things in a very definitive way!
“Set.”
When the gun went off I blasted out of blocks and looked up for the first hurdle and it was then that I realized…I was WATCHING the best hurdle race of my life!
I finished DL = Dead Last. I barely even needed to slow down to hit the high jump stopping pad at the other end of the arena.
I returned to my lane to reluctantly get my time (which, by the way, was worse than both of my times earlier that day). I found a seat off to the side and sat down. I pulled out my camera and then put it back quickly into my bag. I no longer felt like taking pictures.
My mood was in flux. I was grateful for having run with the best, but I also wondered why I ran slower tonight than I had done that afternoon.
This is when Jeannette Bolden came over. I did not recognize her. I just felt her presence in my space.
She did not ask if she could sit down beside me, she just sat down.
The conversation (I mean the butt chewing I took) went something like this:
Jeannette: “You look a little upset.”
John: “Yeah, I didn’t do too well tonight.”
Jeannette: “I watched you from the time you got on the track until now and I knew you weren’t going to do well?
John: “Huh?”
Jeannette: “Well, for one thing, you were taking pictures of all those hurdlers instead of getting your warm up done. You probably thought you were down on this track with your heroes or idols?”
John: “Yep.”
Who is this lady and why was she talking to me? That is the question that was running through my mind.
Jeannette: “The official who gave you an invitation after your 55m hurdle race this afternoon gave you that invite because they expected you to compete tonight. And, you wasted that invitation. You should have given it to someone who was going to actually use it.
She never raised her voice. She spoke to me in a very calm yet firm tone.
“Now, what you need to do is go back to Arkansas and develop those photos. But instead of idolizing the people you want emulate, you need to put them up on a wall and draw bulls-eyes around them and come back here next year and win the whole thing!”
I was speechless.
Jeannette then got up and walked away!
That was my brief encounter with the great Jeannette Bolden.
I didn’t even know her name until Mike Conley asked me later why Ms. Bolden was speaking to me.
The entire conversation took place in less than a minute. I never saw her again, but her words that evening have stayed with me until this day.
I pondered what she said to me on the long drive back to Arkansas.
When I returned to my dorm room I did as she suggested. I developed the photos and put my old heroes on my walls as bulls-eyes. I knew she was right. I had to stop idolizing those hurdlers and realize that I was now their competitor. If I was to compete for a spot on the Olympic Team one day I would need to reverse my thinking and not just be their competitor but also their competition. The last person I needed to compete against was my own limited thinking about my own capabilities. If I was down on the track with those gentlemen I deserved to be there.
Wherever you are in life, if you are in a situation where you feel either in awe of the people in your presence or you feel intimidated, don’t. You are in the room. You deserve to be there and your voice matters.
Well, I knew that I never wanted that feeling of being unprepared in my track and field career. And, from that point on, I was determined to be the best prepared at each meet.
The next year I was off of red-shirt status and was a full-fledged Razorback.
The team went back to the Dallas Morning News track and field meet and I again ran the 55mHH. This time I was the runner up in the Collegiate Division. Thank goodness the officials were taking the top two collegiate hurdlers to the night division.
Most of the same hurdlers were in the field from the prior year. But tonight was different. I did not bring my camera to the floor. I did a proper warm-up. The announcer still skipped over my name like I had taken his granddaughter’s last bottle of formula. But, I did not care. I was there to compete.
I saw all my heroes from last year warming up and I followed their lead. I still calmed myself by putting myself in the familiar setting of Oak Park’s field house.
The clerk of the course called us to the floor and ensured we were in our proper lanes. I set my blocks and took a few run-throughs over the hurdles.
The starter called out for us to take our marks.
I again dropped to my hands and backed my legs up until my feet found the starting pads.
I relaxed, exhaled and lowered my head.
“Set.”
The gun went off and I roared out of the blocks and sprinted to the attack the first hurdle. I went over it first! I led for three hurdles and with two hurdles remaining… that is when I again saw the best hurdle race of my life!
But this time I wasn’t DL! This time I had competed.
The famed Nehemiah was in the second heat and my time was actually faster than his!
Jeannette’s advice paid off in a way I can’t begin to repay.
There are many points that can come out of this story. But, the one I want to leave you with is this. People come in and out of our lives. Some of them make profound impacts on us. They challenge us to change our perspective.
We have unique opportunities to listen to their wisdom and learn from their past experiences to better ourselves. I have witnessed too many times the person who does not want to hear what they have done wrong because they think it will be little them in the eyes of their peers. Too often we take constructive feedback as a personal attack on our character and not as a learning opportunity.
Jeannette gave me great feedback. She did it with a firmness that challenged me to grown. The last thing she did was she offered me a challenge for the next year. She just didn’t dump on me and then leave. She offered a solution that was left up to me to implement.
Whatever her reason was for coming over to me that day and speaking those words of encouragement I am grateful for. She impacted my life in a remarkable way.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/blog_jeannette-bolden_c.gif” size=”100″]I wanted to tell Ms. Bolden this story for a long time and it was only last year that I mustered up enough courage to call the UCLA Women’s Track and Field office to relay it to her. She was gracious, but I really don’t think she really remembered the story.
We often do not realize the impact we have on others. We think our small remarks are just that. But words have the power of life and death. We have to be careful how we craft them so that they are always bringing life to people and building them up.
The point is she inspired me to believe in my talents and abilities based on the work effort that I put into my craft, and more importantly, she made me realize that I was just as important as the ones I was taking pictures of on the track.
Each one of you is valuable and has so much to offer the world! If you are in a situation where you can offer words of comfort to someone or uplift them – Do It.
Thanks for reading!
Now, Go Forth and Inspire the World!
HOPE and PEACE Through Sport
Hope: Hope is the belief that circumstances in the future will be better.
Last year I asked the following question on Twitter, “Would you ever want to sit down and break bread with the person who hurt you or who altered your life significantly by their actions. But, in doing so also put you on a path for redefining who you were?
When I had two legs and was a soldier in the U.S. Army I was on the All-Army Track & Field Team. I had the fortunate experience to qualify for two Olympic Trials. I competed once in the 110m high hurdles and once in the 400m hurdles. It was an incredible experience to be ranked as high as 25th in the 110’s and 17th in the 400’s. It meant I had met the Olympic standard.
Another incredible experience I had was making the Armed Forces Track & Field Team and competing in the World Military Championships, also known as CISM. These games, which are for military members only, are hosted in various countries one year prior to the next Olympic/Paralympic Games.
According to Wikipedia, “The International Military Sports Council (IMSC) or Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM), established 1948, is one of the largest multidisciplinary organizations in the world. It was founded on 18 February 1948 with Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, as its first five members, today, it is the second largest sports body in the world after the IOC, and organizes various sporting events, including the Military World Games and World Military Cup for the armed forces of our 133 member countries.”
The cool thing about CISM is that soldiers who may previously have met on the battle field, now meet in friendship on the sports playing field. Sports becomes the platform for healing the scars of war. The CISM motto is, “friendship through sport.” A motto that profoundly resonates with me.
When I was in Lido di Ostia, Rome, the competition location where the military CISM took place, I was amazed, awestruck, and even stupefied that countries that had fought wars against each other were marching into Opening Ceremony together for a competition on the playing field of sport. Later, I saw the same countries breaking bread and eating breakfast or dinner with each other. I was inspired to say the least.
According to the United Nations Website on Sport for Development and Peace, “Sport has a unique power to attract, mobilize and inspire. By its very nature sport is about participation. It is about inclusion and citizenship. It stands for human values such as respect for the opponent, acceptance of binding rules, teamwork and fairness.”
All one has to do let a soccer ball loose on a field throughout most of the world and people from all walks of life will come running to play the game. It does not matter their social status, their class, race, ethnicity, gender or age, they come to play.
But can sport be the platform for larger issues such as war. CISM seems to have a perspective on this topic that I find fascinating. Putting teams together that compete in friendship is far better than competing for the high ground against an enemy using live rounds.
Having fought with the U.S. Army during Operation Desert Storm and against the Iraqi Army, I don’t know what my mental state would be if I were to meet up with one of the Republican Guard who might have killed one of my battle buddies. When my CISM experience happened the Gulf War had not yet kicked off. So, I can only speculate on what my reactions might have been.
Yet, I do know that soldiers who are engaged in battle fight for their comrades to come home. They share a common bond of being in the fight together. It is a unique bond of brother and sisterhood that only those who have been in any battle can truly attest too. And, if a person ever served in a combat zone they (we) do not come back the same. It does not matter whether that person was in serious skirmishes, a large battle or was out on patrol; war just changes a persons perspective on life.
When I ended my term of service from both the Military and the Civilian sector of the United States Army I found myself in a unique opportunity. I was in a place where I would be able to help other injured veterans (as I was helped); overcome their mental, physical and spiritual state after an injury through the use of sport.
This program which started out with a small sports clinic at Walter Reed Army Medical Center has grown into a vibrant and robust platform for injured military veterans to utilize sport as part of their rehabilitation.
It was then that I thought back to my time at CISM in Lido di Ostia, Rome, and the motto, “Friendship through sport.” Sports is a powerful platform for bringing people together from all walks of life. I began to think that with the current conflict / war that was happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, would there be a place for sport in the future to allow healing to come to these warring nations?
Now, I don’t believe that sport in of itself has the power to do it. I just believe it can be used as a tool or platform to enhance the opportunity for change. It is up to us to change and that change comes from being inspired.
George Bernard Shaw say this about change,
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
There are three platforms I believe work to bring solidarity and change.
The first one I have been discussing is sport.
Sport just has a way of creating a safe environment for opposing ideas to be vetted. Every team wants to be the victor and yet they play (generally within a set of rules). It is also platform to bring about many social changes.
I think about how China’s doors were re-opened to west by a simple game of ping pong. Or, how South Africa came into a better state of solidarity after the oppressive rule of Apartheid through World Cup Football (soccer to U.S. folks) as was depicted in the movie “Invictus.”
Sir Ludwig Gutteman first introduced the idea of using sport as a tool for rehabilitation back in 1948. He is considered the founder of the Paralympic movement. His idea was that sport (the sport of Wheelchair basketball) was perfect for getting soldiers who suffered spinal cord injuries in WWII to advance in life based on the competitiveness of this sport platform.
The second platform for uniting people is music. Music is a part of every culture. People who play in bands or in orchestras can play anywhere in the world and with anybody who knows how to read music. Even if a person does not know how to read music, they generally can hum a tune on key.
The final platform that brings people together is food. People have to eat and conversations are always better, or worse, when food is around.
Think about it, when you go out to a new location whether abroad or in the close proximity to where you live, how do you usually describe that location? Many of us say, “The food was great.” And then the conversation goes on from there. Food is the third element that brings us together. Why? Because everyone has to eat!
Check out the “World Peace Festival” that happened on October 1st 2011 in Hawaii.
Now, getting back to CISM.
My thought was similar about the end state of how sports could shape a world. My hypothesis is that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are the closest venues to peace on earth that the world has.
All countries compete under the banner of peace.
Other people exploit this sport banner to advance their own social causes. They do this because their social cause gets greater attention when focused on an event that draws so many global viewers.
Visa even has a commercial on right now called, “Go World”, which celebrates the commonality of sport in all of us.
So, if the Olympic and Paralympic Games are close to peace on earth, then CISM gets more at the root of countries that have fought against each other and builds a bridge for them to dialogue.
This might be a scenario. A soldier injured by a roadside bomb or his counterpart, who was also injured in a similar fight on the same battlefield. Both heal in their respective countries with sport as the mechanism. They both grow strong and understand that the disability is not in their physical condition, but rather the limitations that only their minds hold for them.
They attend their countries respective sports camps and make the Paralympic team (Games for athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments). The CISM games, which comes one year prior to the Paralympic Games hosts and event and these two athletes are competing for their respective counteries.
The two athletes march into the stadium under their nations flag and eventually meet up on the field of play. They engage in dialogue and discover that they share a commonality: they were both in the same fight, and both were injured on the same day in the same location.
Later they find themselves breaking bread over dinner and they are able to talk about their experiences with each other through hand gestures, facial expressions and other non-verbal forms of communication.
The physical scars are still visible, yet healed, but the internal wounds are still fresh. And still they are able to talk about their lives to each other and eventually come to a mutual soldiers respect, that the battle is over so the healing can begin.
Some people might be reading and find this as a hard concept to grasp. Breaking bread with your enemy is very hard and I don’t suggest this blog to be flipped. But there are examples of solidarity that resonate in this space of soldiers returning to where they once fought to make amends with the damage that was done both physically and emotionally.
The concept of soldiers going back and making peace in the areas they fought is not new. Soldiers still go back to France and recount the days of WWII and Normandy landing.
Vietnam veterans go back to Vietnam and make amends for the harshness of war that happened so long ago. In our minds we are decades removed, but for many, that experience is still being lived by the minds of those who fought it.
One of the most heroic of all revisits is the story of Lou Zamparini. You have got to read this guys story. There is a movie coming out about his life as well. This guy went back to make amends with people who used to beat him senseless while he was a prisoner of war!
For the past seven years I have been softly pursuing a gathering of injured veterans like this. A chance for true healing to begin. The war is over. The scars remain. And, scars can heal. I believe sport has the power to heal some of those scars. And, it won’t hurt to have some good music and better food to go along with healing process.
Three weeks ago a giant step was taken to make this vision a reality.
So, I ask the question again, “Would you ever want to sit down and break bread with the person who hurt you the most? Who altered your life and through their actions gave you a new you?”
If soldiers can do it, it begs the question to us all, can we make the first step towards amends with those in our lives who have hurt us the most?
I would enjoy the opportunity to hear your thoughts and opinions on this topic. Let me know what you think. And, stay tuned, because big dreams may just become giant realities in 2012!
Inspiration from 2008 Olympian and Silver Medalist Emily Silver
Emily Silver (on Twitter @Emily_Silver) never says quit. It is just not in her vocabulary!
At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Silver earned a silver medal swimming in the heats of the 4×100 m freestyle. But little did she know it was a long painful journey to reach the pool deck on that day.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/emily-silver.jpeg” size=”100″ align=”left”]Her story of hurdling adversity, like many of us, are filled with highs, lows and everything in between.
You see, after Emily qualified for Beijing in the 100m freestyle and secured a spot on the 4x100m relay at the U.S. Swim Trials she was confronted with a choice. Should she scratch from 50m Freestyle which was her next event? She already had accomplished her Olympic dream. A dream that began when she was only 7 years old. Her finish in the 100 Freestyle had placed her on the team. Or should she just go ahead and swim it.
She basked in the solace of knowing that her dream had just been realized. Yet, there was still one more race to go.
Her coach thought that she should swim the 50 meters. After all she did make the qualifying standard and therefore earned a lane in the 50m Prelims
Emily’s final decision was to move forward and swim the 50m Free.
She lined up in her lane for the big race!
2008 Prelims 50m Freestyle
“5o meter Freestyle… Step Up” the starters voice cracked through the still air of the natatorium.
It was the 12 heat of 12 in the Omaha indoor pool.
The 50m freestyle is just a pure sprint. Like the 100m in track and field, the winner of this race gets bragging rights as the fastest swimmer in the United States.
Emil y stepped up the short ladder to the starting block and shook her arms free. She adjusted her goggles one last time. She was in the lane 3 just next Dara Torres in lane 4 who would later become the oldest swimmer in U.S. History to compete for the Olympic Team.
“Take your mark.” The voice of the starter was low and matter of fact.
She bent over and grabbed the front of the block below her allowing herself to rock slightly backward in order to position herself properly to rocket into the pool.
“Beep” the tone went off an Emily sprung from the platform. Her lean and muscular 5’11” frame broke the water surface and she slipped below in a perfect streamline (a swimmer’s body position which allows such a shape for moving through the water with the least amount of resistance) and resurfaced with a thunderous kick while symmetrically churning her arms in rhythmic cadence as she drew near to the end of race.
When she touched the wall with her hand, she looked up and saw that she was in the top of the field and would advance to the semi finals. She had finished 12th and was 1.07 sec behind Lara Jackson who was the fastest qualifier posting an American Record in the process.
2008 Semi-Finals 50m Freestyle
In the semi’s Emily drew lane one.
The same sequence happened in the semi’s. The starter called the ladies to their mark and when all were ready, he commanded set, and then the tone sounded.
Emily again went smooth into the water and churned a wake as if she had an outboard motor strapped to the end of her feet. She pressed herself to make it to the finals. Maybe this would be the day!
She neared the wall and pressed her body forward, head down, goggles down, hand outstretched for the touch against the timing pad! She extended and when her hand hit the wall she felt excruciating pain.
She had not qualified for the finals. She finished 12th overall.
She was rushed to the doctors off and told the worst possible news. She touched the wall on her finish in such a way that her hand broke in two places.
What goes through a persons mind.
She just had the highest of highs making the Olympic Team on the 4x100m Fr Relay. Her dream realized! And now, devastation. With just a few short months before the games she has a broken hand.
What did she do?
Well I caught up with this remarkable young lady at Reach the Peak, a program sponsored by the United States Olympic Committee to help potential athletes prepare for the next games, and got her perspective on what she did to get herself ready for the 2008 Olympics Games in Beijing after breaking her hand.
Take a listen to our quick 3:00 min interview to hear the rest of the story!
Enjoy the clip
Paralympian Matt Stutzman aka The Armless Archer (What?)
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/matt-stutzman-shoots.jpg” size=”33″ caption=”Inspirational Words From The Armless Archer”]Matt Stutzman can change a tire with his bare feet in under 30 seconds! No Joke!
So what inspires this young rising Paralympian?
Well I caught up with Matt at the TeamUSA BP event in Naperville and asked him.
Check out today’s inspirational clip at http://youtu.be/VznESBXR0Dw.