STRIDING TOWARD GREATNESS

The Remarkable Impact of Sebastian Sawe

Stay humble and enjoy this part of life

Photo of Sebastian Sawe Courtesy of Maurten

Sebastian Kimaru Sawe is a Kenyan long-distance runner who recently broke the sub-two-hour barrier at the London Marathon. The 31-year-old, nicknamed the “Silent Assassin,” has inspired athletes all over the world, in every sport.

To celebrate his record-breaking success in London on Sunday, April 26, Sawe received a true hero’s welcome in the form of an aviation water salute (an honor normally reserved for dignitaries), as his flight landed at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Sebastian Sawe’s flight arrives home: Photo Courtesy of Buzz Central

What made me rise with the sun the day after his historic run and choose to lead my life differently was the post-marathon press interview where Sawe was asked what he’d eaten for breakfast before the race.

A few slices of bacon? A bowl of pasta? Oatmeal? Maybe some fruit? I expected a reasonably substantial meal for someone who was planning to run 26.2 miles. After all, you have to put gas in your car to drive 26.2 miles, so maybe Sebastian Sawe, who was traveling by foot at almost 14 mph, had warm waffles or a sandwich.

Nope. He told reporters he had two slices of bread with honey and some tea. Say what? I lost five pounds just hearing him say that.

Photo courtesy of Weeds and All

Whether he drank a single cup of tea or a gallon, it doesn’t matter. All I know is it got me thinking that, despite being a weekend warrior on the tennis circuit, I am treating my belly like a garbage can. If this man can run 26.2 miles for almost two hours fueled only by these simple ingredients, then how could I ever reach my own potential as an athlete noshing on cookies and drinking three sugary lattes every day before noon?

Granted, elite athletes, particularly runners, rely on carb-replenishing drinks and hydrogels formulated just for their body’s chemistry, but it takes more than precise nutrition to run such a great distance so quickly.

When reporters asked Sawe if he could elaborate on what had led to his success, he kept his answer as remarkably simple as his morning meal: discipline and patience.

Discipline means doing what needs to be done, over and over again, often early in the morning or late at night, when no one is watching. Discipline is putting in the work without really knowing whether we’ll win or not, because our opponents are somewhere putting in the work too.

Discipline is based on a respect for the craft we are practicing or the industry we serve, whether we deliver the mail, drive a forklift, write books, or run 26.2 miles.

Discipline can never be underestimated, and neither can patience. You and I might take for granted that a marathon runner covering 26.2 miles has to be patient. You can’t rush that, right? After all, a marathon is equivalent to walking all 1,860 stairs to the top of the Empire State Building fifteen times.

Photo Courtesy of Men’s Health

To accomplish such a feat requires biding your time and taking each crucial step in precise order. Patience also means forgiving yourself and then starting again if you miss a step. Patience with ourselves means we love ourselves enough not to rush a process; we love ourselves enough to prepare logically and deliberately, then wait for the rewards and results we yearn for.

For my athlete’s diet now, I’m eating more salmon and sardines, instead of sauce-slathered pasta. I eat more apples and snack on pumpkin seeds instead of cookies. My three chai lattes are a thing of the past. Like Sawe, I’m now drinking plain tea in the mornings. His endurance and simplicity have inspired athletes everywhere, including me. I won’t win a marathon, but whether it’s weekend tennis or the game of life, I plan to win at something.

As for his final words on success, the Kenyan runner added, “Stay humble and enjoy this part of life.” A hero’s words for sure.

Goooooo Sebastian!!

Thank you for reading! ❤️