Guided by their convictions rather than opinions, these “Dear Not Me” athletes embody the courage to carve their own path,
inspired by the pure joy of self-love.
Ashton Lambie
Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins
Katelyn Ohashi
Lionel Messi
Ashton Lambie…
During his Project Sub-4 world record attempt (to be the first person to break 4 minutes in the 4K cycling pursuit), he generated so much pain and power that he was breathing his own blood. One picture from his World Record journey says it all.
Breathing your own blood!
Myth: There are two muscle types. Slow-twitch (Type I) vs. Fast-Twitch (Type II)
Fact: Your muscle fiber distribution falls along a sliding scale that ranges from
15% to 85% of a particular type, depending on your genetics.
The official categories (for now) include Type I, Type IIa, and Type IIx.
On paper… the categories may look like:
Type I are slow-twitch with a range of 85% slow-twitch to 15% fast-twitch
Type IIa and Type IIx sit on a slide scale of speed, force, power, and fatigue resistance of 85% fast-twitch to 15% slow-twitch or 50% fast-twitch and 50% slow-twitch.
But it's complicated…depending on genetic influence and specific training!
Genetic studies have identified 25 core genes that influence muscle fiber type based on oxidative state and energy use.
Specific training can also change your muscle fiber type, also known as subtype shifting within Type IIa and Type IIx. Hybrid transition training alters hybrid fibers (fibers containing more than one type of genetic influence (known as myosin heavy chain genes) to adapt to endurance or speed training.
For example, Ashton Lambie (with specific endurance training) set the fastest time crossing the state of Kansas (456 miles) in less than 24 hours. After switching training techniques to concentrate on pure power and speed, he was the first person to break the sub-4-min barrier in the 4k individual pursuit, establishing a new World Record.
To generate the necessary force, power, and speed for his remarkable World Record, his training and performance resulted in “breathing his own blood,” known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, which caused a mild bloody/charcoal/metallic taste. It is relatively common and caused by high blood pressure/force in the lungs induced by extremely high-intensity training, which causes tiny blood vessels (capillaries) to burst. The iron-rich hemoglobin is then exhaled through your mouth and nose.
To breathe your own blood…
is not a bad thing.
Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins…
Goals, dreams, and passion have no age limit.
At the age of 105, Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins was disappointed with her 105-109 age group world record time of 1:02.95 for the 100-meter dash. And was even more annoyed at the comment from a reporter… “but, at least you beat your age.” (Nails on a chalkboard.)
“I can explain it to you…
but I can not comprehend it for you.”
“I wanted to break a minute.” World Record or not, 105 or not… she still had her own hopes and dreams for what she truly wanted to accomplish.
Katelyn Ohashi…
Riddle me this: What does happiness look like?
Answer: You will know it when you see it!
A story about Katelyn Ohashi is also a story about Coach Miss Val (Valorie Kondos Field) seen in the background… “Winning is really, really, like really, really fun. But!… Winning does not always equal success.”
Years as UCLA Head Coach: 29
Conference Championships: 18
National Championships: 7
Years of experience as a gymnast: 0
Lionel Messi…
"I don’t plan or anticipate my play,
I do everything through instinct."
Through statistical analysis, Benjamin Morris said it best… “Lionel Messi is impossible.”
Lionel Messi’s story is a must-read!
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly
trying to make you something else
is the greatest accomplishment.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
P.S. “A is A, You is You”