Be An Anomaly
There are two paths to greatness: wow from the start — dominating everything from little leagues to the pros — or be an anomaly.
The Last Shall Be First
I started athletics at 17, an age deemed by many to be “too late” to make an impact in the sport. I didn’t break 50 seconds in the 400-meter dash until I was 19. Didn’t break 47 seconds until I was 24. Didn’t become world-class and break 45 seconds until this year (27 years of age). All my life I’ve been playing catch up, but now I’ve finally caught up.
To all the old-heads, late-bloomers and late-starters, what if you were never late? What if you’re right on time?
Sometimes the tortoise wins at the end.
Keep grinding. Turn heads. Be an anomaly.
The Unqualified Shall Be Qualified
I wasn’t good enough to get recruited out of high school so I ran Division III track. I wasn’t fast enough to get signed by a shoe company after college so I worked full-time to fund my training. I never broke an age-group record or qualified for high school state championships or won NCAAs; but despite these, by God’s grace and with great support, I became a runner-up at the USA senior outdoor championships and World Championships medalist this year.
To all the JuCo products and Division I rejects, the non-scholarshipped and the unsponsored, to the 9-to-5s trying to keep the dream alive, know that some of the biggest storms are preceded by a calm.
Screw the stats. Come out of nowhere. Be an anomaly.
The Old Shall Pass, The New Shall Come
Fractures, tears, sprains, strains. Muscles, tendons, nerves, bones. Surgeries, shots, PT…I’m no stranger to suffering. I know what it means to be destroyed by disappointment.
But each setback has propelled me to greater heights, undoubtedly producing the fastest, strongest current version of myself.
To the broken, battered, and bruised: understand your injury doesn’t have to be career-ending.
Silence the doubters. Conquer the comeback. Be an anomaly.
Paul Dedewo is a World Championships medalist and professional sprinter training in Phoenix at Phoenix Track Club. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter.
This is part of the series Anatomy of the Athlete. Read earlier works— Starting Five and The Upside Down Athlete.
All photos by Malina Kaija Photography.
