To a sprinter, the hundred-yard dash is over in three seconds, not nine or ten. The first 'second' is when you come out of the blocks. The next is when you look up and take your first few strides to attain gain position. By that time the race is actually about half over. The final 'second' - the longest slice of time in the world for an athlete - is that last half of the race, when you really bear down and see what you're made of. It seems to take an eternity, yet is all over before you can think what's happening.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A sprinter sees the race in three distinct phases, with the final stretch requiring immense focus and revealing true character.
- In plain terms
- The race is split into phases, and the end shows what you are made of.
- What can you take from it?
- True character shows in the final moments of effort.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you finish your tasks?
- When do you show your true strength?
Another view
Other athletes may view race timing differently.
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