I first met elite runner & Welshman Steve Jones at a party following Falmouth Road Race at Courtney & Caroline Bird's house.
Frank Shorter was there too, but Jones came off as more of a character... wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt, playfully telling people he got my phone number for a date and just behaving like any other runner enjoying a party with a few beers.
The next time I saw Jones was the night before Cape Cod Marathon 2007(see photo) and I had found out that Jones is a Welshman. My grandmother came to America from Wales in her late teens. Jones asked me what part of Wales my family is from and I replied "Swansea." The next day as I ran the marathon, Jones pops up at 4-5 locations on the course screaming, "Go, Swansea!!!"
At the post-race party, I told him I'd had a PR as we all drank some beer and danced... he seemed pleased.
Here's part of a great story about Jones by John Bingham.
"Of all the seminars I've worked with Jonesy, there's one that stands out. He was asked to define the difference between winning a marathon and setting the world record. His answer was simple. To win a marathon, Jonesy flatly stated, you only have to beat everyone who shows up that day. To set the world record, you have to beat everyone who has ever shown up."
"The room went silent. None of us had ever thought of it that way. And no one, except a former world record holder, could have explained it as such."
" To break the world record, Jonesy went on, you must train with a singleness of purpose. These are no cross-training sessions, easy days, or cutback weeks. You find your limit, then push against it--every day of your life. One day in his life--October 21, 1984--Jonesy was the best that had ever lived. He ran a world record 2:08:05, in Chicago. His relentless focus had paid off. But knowing Jonesy, I'm sure that even if he had run a 2:20, he would have still found satisfaction in the pursuit of absolute excellence."
"It's hard for me to imagine the courage it takes to pursue such a dream. Yet, having stood next to Jonesy, I believe the rest of us just aren't asking enough of ourselves. We are limited most by our imaginations--or more precisely, our lack of imagination. We tend to see ourselves only as we are, not as we might be. Most of us will never be the world's best anything. But we could all be better at something if we had the drive to push beyond our comfort zone, whether it be a 30-minute 5-K or a step up the corporate ladder. If Jonesy taught me anything at those seminars, it's that we're all capable of seemingly unattainable goals."
Here's the full article
Frank Shorter was there too, but Jones came off as more of a character... wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt, playfully telling people he got my phone number for a date and just behaving like any other runner enjoying a party with a few beers.
The next time I saw Jones was the night before Cape Cod Marathon 2007(see photo) and I had found out that Jones is a Welshman. My grandmother came to America from Wales in her late teens. Jones asked me what part of Wales my family is from and I replied "Swansea." The next day as I ran the marathon, Jones pops up at 4-5 locations on the course screaming, "Go, Swansea!!!"
At the post-race party, I told him I'd had a PR as we all drank some beer and danced... he seemed pleased.
Here's part of a great story about Jones by John Bingham.
"Of all the seminars I've worked with Jonesy, there's one that stands out. He was asked to define the difference between winning a marathon and setting the world record. His answer was simple. To win a marathon, Jonesy flatly stated, you only have to beat everyone who shows up that day. To set the world record, you have to beat everyone who has ever shown up."
"The room went silent. None of us had ever thought of it that way. And no one, except a former world record holder, could have explained it as such."
" To break the world record, Jonesy went on, you must train with a singleness of purpose. These are no cross-training sessions, easy days, or cutback weeks. You find your limit, then push against it--every day of your life. One day in his life--October 21, 1984--Jonesy was the best that had ever lived. He ran a world record 2:08:05, in Chicago. His relentless focus had paid off. But knowing Jonesy, I'm sure that even if he had run a 2:20, he would have still found satisfaction in the pursuit of absolute excellence."
"It's hard for me to imagine the courage it takes to pursue such a dream. Yet, having stood next to Jonesy, I believe the rest of us just aren't asking enough of ourselves. We are limited most by our imaginations--or more precisely, our lack of imagination. We tend to see ourselves only as we are, not as we might be. Most of us will never be the world's best anything. But we could all be better at something if we had the drive to push beyond our comfort zone, whether it be a 30-minute 5-K or a step up the corporate ladder. If Jonesy taught me anything at those seminars, it's that we're all capable of seemingly unattainable goals."
Here's the full article
2 comments:
Nice post, Sarah.
Jones Rules and knows how to party !
Doc:-/
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