The Hard Is What Makes It Great
by Coach Suzy
One of my favorite scenes from the movie, A League Of Their Own, came when Dottie (Geena Davis) quit the team right before the world series. The conversation between Dottie and her Coach, Jimmy (Tom Hanks), has always been my go-to clip in hard times. Here’s how it went:
Jimmy: “Sneaking out like this…quitting…you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Baseball is what gets inside you. It’s what lights you up. You can’t deny that.”
Dottie: “It just got too hard.”
Jimmy: “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.
I was reminded of this favorite quote of mine as I was completing the last 10 minute interval during a recent CompuTrainer workout that was particularly challenging. My energy and focus were fading, and as my thoughts began to wander to what I was going to have for lunch after the workout, my power, cadence and performance slipped to a level unacceptable to my Coach who was administering the session. He immediately came to my side when he saw that I was struggling. He encouraged me to keep pushing and not quit even though it was super hard. With his encouragement, I re-gained my focus and finished the workout with drive and determination.
Later in the day, I was struck by the parallel between what happened during that CompuTrainer workout and what Jimmy told Dottie during the movie.
Triathlon is inside me. It is most definitely what lights me up.
On Ironman day and as I swim, bike and run through my training, I will hear Coach Joe’s voice telling me what I’ve heard him tell so many athletes before on Ironman day: DON’T (insert expletive here) QUIT! I will remember what Jimmy told Dottie during the movie and what Joe was telling me by his actions during that fateful workout:
It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.
My 2013 Ironman Journey Articles by Coach Suzy:
The Hard is What Makes It Great
Suzy Cerra is a USAT certified Triathlon Coach, Camp Director and VP of Operations with Experience Triathlon. As leaders in the endurance services industry, Coach Suzy and the Experience Triathlon staff help athletes of all ages and abilities achieve success in training, racing and life. Learn more about Coach Suzy and Experience Triathlon at www.experiencetriathlon.com.
Comments (6)
Whoa–super cool blog, Suzy! What a great movie scene to use as a go-to clip during tough workouts….I may have to borrow that!!!
You KNOW which CT I’m talking about, don’t ya, Sarah?!?! 🙂
Thanks for sharing and for reminding us why we do this thing called Triathlon, its because we love it.
Suzy, your blog choked me up. I love that quote. I’m going to commit it to memory. Thanks for sharing your heart. It’s good to know that you elite athletes are human!
Loved this story. It’s a great quote and one that will resinate with me while I train. During hard workouts its hard to remember that we do this because we love it, but we do.
Jesus Mary and Joseph. All I wanted to do is order a visor and now I am crying at work after reading this flipping short story. Damn you coach Suzy! “The hard is what makes it great” is now my new mantra which I will most definitely need come September 70.3. Love that movie also… E