Blast from the past

"The mellow glory of the Attic stage" 

I brought down the Christmas three down the attic and found my old military and trophies boxes.

Christmas is almost here. Most of you are shopping expecting the last minute deal. For most people Christmas is the joy of family time and holiday. Food flowing around even with very little money a Christmas can be very enjoyable.

Left, My old military chest and some of my old trophies

For me Christmas has a very different meaning. I am going to share something very personal.

People always ask me why I love so much coaching, and why I look so happy and wonder how my family cope with me been away most of the time.

I never liked Christmas, I always thought it's too commercial and don't want to feel obliged to buy something because I have to. I believe in buying presents to someone when your feelings are there, if you see something which you think can make someone you know happy you can do it 364 days a year and not once a year.
On the other hand the main reason is that I only start to celebrate Christmas in the last 6 years. Prior this I always was working in ambulances, A&E........

I experienced lots of sadness in my life. Coaching has been something which whatever happen will never be worse than my previous experience as a soldier and nurse. More precisely a Nurse specialising in Emergency and Catastrophe rescue.
I never wrote about it and will certainly have to include a chapter in my book "the Truth between the li(n)es" which I hope to finish next year.

Medal from the ITU Long Distance World Championship 2000 (Nice, France)

I have been training most of my life. As a professional athlete a long time ago, I had the opportunity to join the army, and get paid to train and study. The other side of the coin was the military duties. I didn't do the military conscription like most of the young 18 years old but at 16 I was a great athlete with great grades at school. When the army approached me after my living cert and offer me a full training, study and pay package I couldn't refused and signed a contract for 7 years.

from left to right top and bottom : Picture when I received my "Courage & Dedication" Medal, Medical advanced post (medical tent), Rookie picture, and at work....... can't remember the date but in the 90's

I travelled and travelled the world going from earth quakes to cyclones to war zone to plane crash and thought at the time was a very rewarding and dream life and evolved from a rookie to a medical officer specialised in emergency and catastrophe medical unit.
The truth is I travelled so much that I even can't remember all the places, I went to, from fires in the south of France, to major floods, war and been shot at. Then there is all the daily routine of ambulance services, car crash, and suicide usual accident. After over 10 000 intervention I understand why there is in the army, police, fire brigade, ambulance services such a fraternity. They see and understand life in such a different way. I remember when I came to Ireland and worked as a Medic in Galway the great feeling to drive at 3am over the bridge and look at the beautiful city and feel like keeping all those people safe. It's like watching over your children at night you are just there, just in case, a great feeling.

On a more positive side I delivered 8 babies with my crew, saved many lives, and did helps people at the best of my abilities from poor countries to distressed countries to my own countries (France & Ireland).

I kept my old uniform and few bits in that chest. Then with my crew (last right)

Sometimes I just watch read and listen those people in sports who thinks their lives depends on comments made in the media or club members, or coaches shouting at their athletes with so much anger that you can feel the fear in the athletes eyes. Another truth is the best coaches in the world are tough task masters but also great communicators and share a bond that most coaches dream to have with their athletes. This bond is based on trust fairness and mutual understanding of what they want to achieve and how far they will take it to get the results to achieve the next level. The coaches are just trying to succeed but are at that limit they can't reach over, they struggle and don't understand why....... as a coach you have to review your athletes, but also yourself.

Some coaches are so unhappy they coach by fear to the point the athletes are so scared they can't talk and hide and always look down. Yes it does work...... until they break! And give up, check your club record and coaching record, how many did you lose in the last 18months and why?
Some are those on power trips, and then committees don't understand why young athletes quit sports at such young age. BECAUSE WE DON'T KEEP THEM HAPPY. There is no reason if teenagers are happy playing sports they would leave.

If there is something for them to be there such as fraternity, solidarity and great communication then they can stay all their life in sports at what level they want to be.

Don't get me wrong, if you are a parent and you send your child training every day and they don't want to, and come back crying after each sessions, you do not need to question yourself. Is this activity the right one for my child? Is my child been treated fairly by the coach? Honestly I have people telling me their child is crying every day for months because of the coach or other athletes. I always ask "why do you bring your child to a place you know they will be unhappy and be bullied?”

Then we wonder why children when they grow dislike sports? Sports and it includes High performance can be extremely enjoyable! And research shows it compatible with study and athletes are smarter than children which are not exercising.

I have seen so much anger from sports people in the media, internet, or even by email. Sometimes I just feel sad for them. How insignificant details affect so much while other people like me use to and some still do every day digging children graves in poor or military conflict, accident, illness etc........ So I prefer to let them whinging about everything and spend quality time with my athletes.

Far from my Pb time with a 5th place overall....The first Connemarathon with a few participants was a turning point in my life. Inspirational, that day was a new beginning for me, surrounded of my best friends and my last competitive race.

Be Happy does not mean been too relax and not training, it just mean you can train hard in a structured training environment where you get rewarded if you try your best. If been your best mean been last then that's ok if it is genuinely your best. No reason why your coach should be disappointed. Not everybody can win or sports will be boring, but everybody can participate

For some coaches and parents a two pieces of advice:
1) It’s not because you like something that you are good at it!
2) Treat your athletes / children the same way you would threat your loves one. Fear is not progress, but distress. Performance can be enjoyable
3) You don't need to put pressure on the athletes / children, they already good at doing it and they always want their parents and coach to be proud of them. Sometimes we just don't see it
4) Nobody is born bold! There is always a reason for it (thanks Aisling for teaching me this a long time ago)

How this is relevant to your training? Well it's not I can't always write about coaching plans, skills and training. Sports includes many other factors such as coaches, parents, family, friends, colleagues and your personal life has a huge input so I hope this will motivate you and make you think out of the box a little bit.
But one thing is for sure, where ever you are right now reading this article you are in a better place than most people on that small tiny planet.

With my Club "St Jean de Monts"  my dad 1st row second starting from left, and me racing national championship in "La Baule"

Question: if you train hard and give you very best, but did not perform, you are walking toward your coach, how do you feel?
1) You already feel bad enough and don't really need your coach to put another layer
2) You are disappointed, but the feedback of the coach is appreciated as you have a good communication with him/her
3) You are scared to go to talk to your coach as he/she will give out to you anyway
4) You look down and hope the time will go fast when the coach finish giving out to you

Personally that you do well or not, I do not believe any athletes to take the start of a race is going with the thought in mind "I am not going to do well, and I am going to make everybody unhappy". Maybe I am simplistic but I prefer to believe they always try their best, that they perform or not.

Sebastien Locteau

First published on runireland.com on the 14/12/11

ref:  "The Strayed Reveller" a Poem" by Matthew Arnold 1949