Uncover your inner athlete!

Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be eaten.. Each morning in Africa a lion awakes - it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve.


No matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up you had better be running!



Saturday, May 14, 2011

Racism in running

This morning I witnessed something even more deplorable than drug cheating or cheating. Racism.


One of the mums who brings her daughter to the track where I train to receive private coaching was saying that her daughter was destined to represent Australia but that she was not keen for her to compete against people of colour in Australia. I was shocked by this and found it odd at the same time as I proceeded to inform her that although her daughter does have talent, for her to become a world or Olympic champion, she would not only have to work hard, but also compete against people from other countries and races. I also informed her that it was a well known fact that some of the best runners in the world were black African runners and again to claim a world title, you inevitably have to compete against and beat these runners to.

It annoys me that in 2011 we still have people thinking about such things in life and in sport. The youth don’t need to be exposed to such ideas even if the parents hold them- let them be kids and develop and grow to their full potential.

Running together – stride for stride on a life changing ride. – Sean Muller

1 comment:

  1. Hi - came here from CR (you commented on a post about shin splints). Did she use the term 'of colour'? If so, that sounds like something a late baby boomer would say and represents a pretty toxic (and, unfortunately, ascendant in that odd way dying paradigms have) way of thinking. People love to point at the under-30s (and they ARE kinda shiftless and lazy, and youngsters always are), but many of the boomers in Australia have shamelessly propped up some pretty repugnant ways of dealing with the world.

    If nothing else, no athlete worth his or her electrolyte would refuse to race a black athlete. In fact, I suppose a racist athlete would like nothing better than to beat them! Perhaps this girl will be able to teach her gran a thing or two soon.

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