Guts to Glory

Are You a Champion?

Philip Dunn is a three-time Olympian competing in the 50k Racewalk, a native Oregonian, and the proud father of a gorgeous baby boy, Miles.

By Philip Dunn

I was so happy crossing the finish line at this year’s World Racewalk Cup in Cheboksary, Russia I didn’t want to leave the course. I came across the finish line with the biggest smile on my face and my arms raised in triumph. I had just walked my fastest time in four years, bettered the Olympic time standard and qualified for my third Olympic games. Anyone watching would have thought I won the race. I feel a little silly thinking about it now, after all, I finished in 39th place, not first. Compared to me, though, the guy who finished one place in front of me was despondent. The difference was, I felt I had given my best effort.

What does it take to be the best you can be? The obvious answers are hard work and dedication. That’s clearly not enough or everyone would be wearing an Olympic medal. Here are a few of my tips to being your best on and off the track.

Love What You Do
If you are passionate about something, you will make a commitment to it that is deeper than just a passing trend. You will wake up in the morning eager to work at it. When you encounter obstacles, you will care whether you succeed or fail. You may go to bed utterly defeated, but you will sleep on it and wake up with a new perspective and a renewed hunger. Whether it is an injury in sport or a pink slip, you will realize that it isn’t the end of that path; it is only a new opportunity to strengthen your resolve, deepen your commitment and move forward in a creative and passionate way. Love your sport and you will put in the consistent training that allows you to improve and succeed.

Dream Big
Once you have found your passion, you have to imagine where you want to go with it. No matter whether you are an athlete, an artist, or an accountant, you have to see success in your mind in order to realize it in real life. Set measurable and realistic goals along the way so that you feel you are making steady progress towards your ultimate goal.

Surround Yourself with People Who Believe in You
I’ve found my greatest success when I have the support of friends, family and teammates. People who believe in your dreams keep you motivated and eager to put in the necessary hard work. Sure, you can make it on your own, but it’s much more difficult and if you do achieve your dreams, there’s no one there to buy you the first round.

Give Yourself Time to Learn, Improve, and Master Your Craft
There’s nothing more frustrating than trying something for the first time and not being any good at it. Trust me, I tried surfing and thought, “I’m a good athlete, this should be easy.” Nope. It’s a cliché, but practice really does make perfect. Start by bringing your best effort and attitude every day. Work with a coach or another athlete who has achieved excellence in your sport and you will gain both a mentor and a greater appreciation for your discipline. Approach each workout or race with intense curiosity and a desire to improve. You may fail as often as you succeed, but don’t be satisfied with mediocre results. Examine what went wrong, learn from any mistakes and commit to doing better next time.

Be Adaptable and Creative
Once you’ve committed to being the best you can be, do everything you can to make it a reality. Eat, sleep, and breathe your dream. There will be times, though, when you won’t be able to get in the workout that you planned, so you need to be flexible. My wife calls it making smart compromises. It means finding a way to keep an eye on the little things without losing sight of the big picture. When I was preparing for the World Cup race, I needed to go to the gym to lift weights but I also had a commitment to taking care of our son in the morning. I compromised and did lots of sit-ups, push-ups, and other exercises while rolling around on the floor with Miles. The best athletes learn to control the things they can control and let the other stuff go.

Always Believe In Yourself
Two days before the World Racewalk Cup in Russia, I woke up with diarrhea and a scratchy throat. Initially, I freaked out, but the night before the race I told myself that I was going to be okay. No matter how I felt in the morning, I would give my best effort and be satisfied. I fell asleep knowing I had done everything I could to prepare for the race. I woke up on race day believing in myself and went out and accomplished my goal. Remember that no matter what place you finish, you can still be a champion if you know that you gave your very best effort. Of course, everyone wants to win, but knowing that you prepared well, followed through with your plan and achieved your specific goal is a victory in itself.