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Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius, also known as “the fastest man on no legs,” has just been given the right to compete for a spot in the Olympics.

The last time we talked about Oscar, the International Association of Athletics Federations Committee had just barred him from competing in the Olympics because they said his carbon fiber prosthetics gave him an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners.

I didn’t understand how an amputee could possibly have an advantage over able-bodied runners. It didn’t seem right to me that he was barred when there was no real proof his prosthetics gave him an edge. Oscar didn’t think it was right either, so he appealed the decision. This time around, he won.

The article in Sports Illustrated states…

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It’s natural to focus on physical training when preparing for a race or getting back in shape. But in the fight for perfect form, many athletes forget to spend time on mental training, too.

This article from Trail Runner magazine is all about training your mind to help you get the results you want. While it’s geared toward trail runners, these same principles can be applied to any sport… and even life in general. Give yourself an edge by training your brain along with your body.

The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Use your head to improve trail-race performances
By Kevin Ludlum

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Not your average ordinary school bus, the BioTour bus is on a mission. Instead of driving kids to school, this growing non-profit organization is driving school to kids (and adults). This veggie- and solar-powered bus is traveling the country to raise awareness of sustainability issues and educate people about renewable energy.

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Running isn’t just good for your body, it’s good for your soul, too. Just ask Anne Mahlum, founder of Back On My Feet - a running club for homeless people in Philadelphia.

An avid runner, Mahlum says running is like therapy for her. And she figured if the sport could help her through tough times, it could do the same for other people. People who really needed it. People who were faced with incredible hardships every single day… those without homes. But instead of just thinking, Mahlum started doing and took the first steps toward fulfilling her vision.

She called around town asking for running shoes and gear donations. She got in touch with homeless shelters. Then she took the first nine runners out to run that first mile. Now, more than 54 runners from three different Philadelphia shelters and 250 volunteers have joined the organization.

The article on CNN states…

Runners greet each other with hugs and words of encouragement. While members say they’ve lost weight, quit smoking and have more energy, Mahlum believes they’re also learning important life skills such as discipline and goal-setting that can help them get on the road to self-sufficiency.

The increased self-confidence and self-respect the runners have gained from running their collective 5,000 miles is leading some to employment and job training programs. No doubt more people will be helped as the shelter expands throughout Philadelphia and beyond.

“Running really is a metaphor for life,” Malhum says. “There is always another mile. You just have to take it one step at a time.”

One of her success stories, Mike Solomon, a former crack addict and shelter resident, is now employed, in school, and training for a marathon.

“Anne is helping people see the hero in themselves,” he says.

It sounds like seeing that hero makes all the difference in the world.

Thanks to a comment they left on the post about Pat and Catherine Patterson, I found out about the wonderful mission of Nasim and Jafar. It seems these two couples are on similar wavelengths. They’re both biking around the world.

Nasim and Jafar are biking the world from Iran and planting “trees of peace” everywhere they go. The planting of these trees is meant to do two things; to remind the world that we can live in peace and to promote environmental conservation. So far, they’ve planted 455 trees in 9 countries — they increase the number of trees they plant by one at each new planting location. What a beautiful thing to do.

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