Never Underestimate The Power Of Your Mind!

He is one of the finest runners the world has even seen and currently holds the record for the 3rd most sub 10 second 100 m runs. He became the first non-American to win the NCAA double (100m and 200m at the American Collegiate Championships)

He is one of only two man to have run the 200 m faster than 19:70-s. Only the great Michael Johnson ran the 200 m faster than him. Yet he has the distinction of never having won a 100-m gold medal in the Olympics or World Championships.

If you don't know who I'm talking about, then allow me to enlighten you. I'm talking about my compatriot Frank Fredericks.

Shortly before the 1996 Olympics Fredericks was in blistering form, winning a number of International 100 m races in times that were tantalizingly close to the world record at the time. During one of these races Fredericks ran 9.86-s, just one hundredth of a second outside the world record and could have set a new record, had he not thrown up his arms in celebration, just before crossing the line.

When asked by journalists why he threw up his arms, and if this didn't spoil his chance of breaking the world record, Fredericks replied, "I'm not worried about the world record. It'll come when it is supposed to." In the Olympic final race Fredericks was beaten by Canadian Donovan Bailey who won in a new record time of 9.84-s.

Had Fredericks ran in Atlanta, as he ran in Lausanne when he set 9.86-s, he would have crossed the finish line in roughly 9.81-s.

This, according to Jonas R. Mureika, a systems programmer at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, who developed a mathematical model of sprinting that compensates for wind effects in the 100-m dash, and converts measured times into equivalent times in still air.

The formula enabled Mureika to compare performances in all 100 m races on a more or less equal footing. Thus, Bailey's 9.84-s world-record time, aided by a tail wind of 0.7 m/s, turns into the equivalent of 9.88-s in calm air. The race run in 1996 by Frank Fredericks into a head wind of 0.4 m/s becomes 9.80 s in calm air, surpassing Bailey's world-record performance.

What this means is that if Frank had ran in Atlanta as fast as he ran in Lausanne, when he clocked 9.86-s, he would have crossed the finish line in roughly 9.81-s

Remember that Frederick's time in Lausanne was not only against a headwind, it was also after he threw up his arms, meaning that Frank Fredericks' time could have been even faster than the current world record, set by Montgomery.

His pre-championship race time of 9.86-s, is the closest Fredericks has ever come to breaking the 100 m world record and he is unlikely to write a record behind his name, as he is now 36 years of age.

Many are good, but few are great. It almost sounds like that other phrase in the Bible, "Many are called, but few are chosen", doesn't it, except nobody is choosing anybody here. It's about the individual who chooses if he wants to be great. And if he makes that decision to follow it up with the necessary commitment.

Why do I say many are good but few are great? Because all that is required to become good is talent and training. However, to be good requires something else. It requires a different mental attitude.

Case in point. Maurice Green always wanted to be great. He told anyone who cared to listen that he would soon break the world record. He didn't say when, only that it would happen. He dreamed of it, trained for it, and when the time came he, executed it. Tim Montgomery did the same thing. He said he was going to lower Green's world record, and he did.

Arnold Swarzenegger, moviestar, aspiring politician and arguably the greatest bodybuilder ever, once said, "it's all in your mind", referring to success. While speaking two weeks ago at the City College of New York, Arnold told the students in the audience. "Have big dreams, and go after those dreams. That was my secret."

Just last week Maurice Green told reporters that he is going to win the 100 metres at the World Championships in Paris, which coincidentally takes place on Monday, 25 August 2003, which is today.

Another thing that Green said is, "I like doing things that have never been done before" This is exactly how super successful people think. They strive on challenges and on proving people wrong. They hate the word, "average" and wants to absolutely be the best. They never leave anything to chance or say "it will happen when it is supposed to happen." They make things happen!