SHIZUKA Running as an underdog Shizuka, center Shizuka has been educating KR on the culture of competition for young teens in Japan. Shizuka says she runs from the "underdog" position. We wondered exactly what she meant by that. Here's is her explanation. While I have the attention of young runners, I want to talk to you about the advantanges of running out of the underdog spot. First, it takes away the burden of pressure that comes with running from the ace spot. Therefore you can run relaxed and do your very best. I, myself, run from this position and enjoy it very much. Because people are creatures of habit, runners go to great lengths to protect their weaknesses, so you should attack their strongest point. This is where they feel at ease, and will let up for a spilt second, and in short distances that's all you need. Also knowledge is power in running, just as in everything in life. If you watch your rivals, after awhile, you will learn somethings about their running that will help you beat them. We should all strive to be students first and athletes second, not the other way around, because all our idol sprinter/runners went to the university. I have been running competitively for as long as I can remember. When I was in elementary school the big race was the All-Japan Championship for 5th and 6th grade only.but there was only one catch. It was one runner per grade, per event, .per state; winner take all, so the competition put teammate against teammate and city against city. I was a standout from my club and city, but my main rival lived in another city about a 1 hour drive from me. She was the undisputed "Queen" and we were bitter rivals. She had won every race in 3rd and 4th grade. We were both from the east, so our only chance was individual because the west ruled all relays. She won the first race of our 5th grade seconds, beating me by only 1/100 of a second. so I had my first experience running in championship as the underdog. My coach told me, "She has a better start than you do, but there is always next year." However, I overcame her start and won the race. I shocked everyone and I also won 6th grade too. It wasn't until I got to junior high school, that I experienced a championship team. My first was the long distance championship, but remember I am a sprinter. At our age you should run all distances so you can find out where your talents truly are. This is when I realized that a team championship is different than a individual one, because many people can share the feeling or experience, the comradeship and joy of winning. Also my main rival and I realized at the junior high level, we no longer needed to be bitter rivals, because all races were time qualifications, and we both could go to any race if we qualified. That's when we both joined the same private team and became best of friends. When we were in 8th grade of a private club, we went to the adult regionals for the 4x100meter relay. We both ran together. We lost in the first round, but we lost as team. That season we both went to all the big races together. We gave each other moral support even though we were best friends we were still rivals. When we went to the Junior Olympics that year she sat with my school and we ate together, because she was the only one from her school. Even my coach was amazed how close we were. Also again my school team went to the All-Japan Short Distance Championship. We were the underdogs nobody even thought we would win our state, let along make it to the semi-final round and be ranked in top 30 teams in country. I again experience comradeship and team work at its best, so being the underdog can work to your advance. Instead of my teammate and I competing to be the best at our school. We worked together for a common goal: to be the best we could be that day. we went home local heroes. Now by a twist of fate my lead of runner from my school relay, my best friend and main rival and I will attend the same high school. This is great news. People are already talking maybe All-Japan Championship in our first year for our 4x100meter relay team. Note there will be only four girls on the team making us an underdog team by anyone's standards. This would be a team victory and comradeship is hard to explain. It is one of those thing you must experience for yourself to fully understand. Anyone can win a championship, but only a team can win a relay; four people working together as one to achieve a common goal. You will either celebrate the "THRILL OF VICTORY" or the "AGONY OF DEFEAT" but you will do it as a team. Now that I have left my junior high school team to start preparing for high school which starts in April. I can look back with a smile of my face, and say what a great three years I have had. In those three years our team has dominated our city like no team before us and probably no team after us. Education is the way to true knowledge about all things. you can't survive without it no matter what you do running or otherwise. IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING I HAVE SAID remember this it doesn't matter how fast you or your team is. You can't win a race or even compete if you don't stay healthy. Take care of yourself, eat right and get plenty of exercise. Then anything is possible in running or life. Also: It's not important what you did yesterday, or even what you will do today. What does matter is what you will do tomorrow. (This isn't my quote. I heard it some where, but never-the-less a very good one.) AS ALWAYS GOOD LUCK WITH RUNNING OR WHATEVER YOUR CHOICE IS. Not everyone can be a competitive runner, but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy running anyway. (This what I always tell our new 7th grade runners.) So let's get started. Shizuka (far right) and team Privacy Policy of Kids Running