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Help Me Realize My Potential
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op684
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Joined: 08 Oct 2007
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:45 pm    Post subject: Help Me Realize My Potential Reply with quote

Hi. It's about time I found a track/field forum that has a separate section on sprinting.

I'm 18. I'm a very fast runner. By very fast, I don't mean that I merely "think" I'm very fast. I've always finished first in all my gym classes in school in sprints. People would always give me the "amazed" look when they saw me sprint.

I realize that I have a lot of potential and I want to take advantage of it. I aim at the Olympics; a big goal, but it won't hurt to at least try.

My question is, what steps should I take to enter competitive sprinting, with the goal of entering the Olympics someday? Are there any special clubs or centers for sprinters? What should I do? All I see around the web are clubs for road and long distance runners. I never even encounter the word "sprinting" on their websites.

I'm located in NYC and I'd appreciate any help in this matter. Thanks a lot.
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Dan
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you finished with high school, or are you a senior this year? Competing for your school team is the logical first step in seeing just how talented you are, as that's where most of the talent your age is lining up, not in gym class. Also, the team will afford you a coaching environment to help you realize that potential and guide you toward the next step in your training, whatever that might be.

Dan
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op684
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the response, Dan. That is the problem; I did not join the track team in my high school because I wanted to make up for my lack of swimming skills and therefore joined the swimming team instead (and still can't float for more than 30 secs without going under water, after two seasons). I'm in my second semester of college right now, and there is no track team listed on my college's athletics department, though I did shoot the director an e-mail today to confirm. In high school gym classes, I was always amongst the best in long distance running and the best in sprints. And the guys there were considered "fast".
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Dan
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm... In that case, I would probably look into area running clubs. Most clubs are geared more toward road running, i.e. distance, but there may be a group of sprinters in your area, or maybe one of the local clubs could point you toward another resource.

Dan
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op684
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most of them are geared towards long distance running and that's why I came here to see if anyone knows of any club that's more focused on sprinting. I'll do like you said then and contact them and see if they can point me toward the right club. Good advice, Dan.

Meanwhile, if anyone else knows of any fitness center, or club suited for sprinters, please let me know here.

Thanks.
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AM_Runner
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where in NY are you I can recommend a few good places for you to go for this actually. One selfish one would be across the river for you but Shore AC in NJ (my team) was National Club Champs this year with a lot of points coming from the sprints... There are a few others in the area as well... Executive TRack Club and LeMans as well..

Shoot me a note and I will see what I can find out for you.
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op684
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey AM_Runner; I've researched the teams you mentioned, including Shore AC. LeMans doesn't have a site of its own nor could I find contact info on the club. I'll try contacting both Shore and Executive. One question; when you become a member of the club, attending regular practice meet-ups and stuff like that is mandatory, right? Does Shore have a base in NYC too, or only Jersey? I'm located in Brooklyn near the Prospect Park.

Thanks for the help, guys.
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AM_Runner
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can find out what you need from the shore side of things actually probably the lemans one as well - send me an email with your info to kurt.steege@gmail.com and I will forward it on to the right people to get in contact with. I know with Shore they have different groups doing different things many just train alone. I am a distance guy but I know some others as well. Depending on where in NYC you are as well I may have some sprinters you could workout with.
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Angelo Z
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So you are a sprinter...what are your personal bests first of all? Height, and weight? Asafa Powell is only 6 foot 3 inches. I also have another question, have you joined pretty much every sprinting activity at HS? YOu can gain national fame that way like Jim Ryun who ran a sub 4 at the age of 17 gained him national fame. Other than that, it is hard to build up fame in order to be accepted in the Olympics.
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