Anton vs. Me
A Facebook friend posted this picture of super star runner Anton Krupicka. Anton is an American Ultra-runner. Anton has won the Leadville 100 twice, the Miwok 100, the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler, the Collegiate Peaks 50 miler, the White River 50 miler twice, the High Mountain 50k and the Estes Park Marathon. He also came in second in the Western States 100 mile Endurance Run in 2010 in what would have been a course record time of 15:13:53.
Anton is a “Rock Star” in the Ultra-world…many including my friend think he is just dreamy. I have to admit he does have that special “look.” But then I thought…so do I, right?
1. Ultra hair…Anton has thick, long and wavy hair. Mines thick….
2. Ultra beard…With years of growth ahead of me, Anton’s beard is the envy of many. I’ll get there unless my wife tells me she has had enough of it.
3. Massive ultra lungs…sure Anton runs at elevation…but has he run in 106f heat index on a hot and humid North Carolina night?
4. Ultra-waist line…Being a vegan it would be easy to have a trim waist, try that eating pizza, cookies and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
5. Short ultra shorts…I think we have a push here, we both pull off the short shorts look.
6. Powerful mountain climbing quads…okay I concede this one.
7. Runner’s calfs, not sure about Anton but I can’t wear skinny jeans (boot cut are hard to get on) because I can’t get the narrow cut ankles over my calves.
8. Sense of style, I’ve never been accused of leading edge style, Anton sets the style in the ultra-world…but these socks?
9. Ultra Resume, as noted above Anton has won many 100 miles races. Myself I’ve finished second twice, once in a USAF 5k while holding off a young butter bar LT 20 years younger than me. I also won my age group at a North Carolina small town 5k and kept up with the local 16 year old high school track star to place second, again.
All joking aside, don’t compare yourself with other runners. You are the best example of you that you can be. If you want to be faster…train harder, suffer more, run longer…but don’t compare your efforts or results to others. Compare your race times against the you that you want to be.
It has been proven over time that people live up to the expectations they set for themselves….set those high.