THROUGHOUT my life I have been guided by two personal mottoes. The first, written more than 2500 years ago by the Greek poet, Pindar, reads: "Without toil there triumph but a few."

The second was written 200 years ago by the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "Let us act that each tomorrow sees us further than today."

I hope that during your athletics training you will find these quotes to be inspirational and encouraging.

Life is a journey and our experiences are steps along the way to becoming the men and women of our dreams. The people we meet during the great voyage of life will affect us positively or negatively so chose your travelling companions wisely. Avoid, as far as possible, those who put you down, erode your confidence in yourself, destroy your self-esteem or minimise your achievements, your goals, your ambitions and your worth as a person.

Seek out those who will help you to maximise and develop your potential during your sporting career and in the wider school of life.

But never forget there is also a spiritual dimension to your life. Each one of us yearns for that inner peace, serenity and tranquillity which no amount of money can buy.

Deep down we realise there is something within our souls which impels us to seek our higher selves, to reach for the stars, and to get in touch with our innermost feelings - leaving behind the derived self or persona which we present to the world and to the people we encounter in our everyday leaves in an attempt to create a favourable, but very often, false impression.

You don't need to live in a monastery or become a hermit to find your true self although many people have successfully followed that path.

You can find that inner harmony, the quietness of mind, the stillness of soul, the peace that transcends all human understanding, in running - irrespective of whether you run competitively or as a means of therapy, relaxation and self-fulfilment.

As a student more than thirty years ago I discovered that running helped me to cope with the pressures of exams and academic demands. To go out running in the woods, parks and fields near my home after periods of intense study enabled me to unwind, to clear my head, regenerate my mental, physical and spiritual resources, and reoxygenate my tired mind and body through healthy enjoyable exercise.

Then, like the holy men and women of old who retreated into the desert to meditate and contemplate, I returned to the company of my fellow students and the challenges of life and my studies mentally, emotionally and physically refreshed.

Make running part of your life, integrate it intelligently into other dimensions of your life such as your studies, work and social life, and you will find yourself a happier, more contented, fitter, well-orientated and healthier person.

By joining a progressive, fair-minded club like Kilbarchan AAC which offers encouragement, support and training and competitive opportunities, you will be teaming up with like-minded people from all walks of life.

They are your fellow travellers on the voyage of self-discovery which enables you to become the architect of your own spiritual, physical, emotional and psychological renaissance as, through sport, study and meaningful human relationships, you nurture and cultivate the hidden powers of your awakening self.

by Derek Parker

Derek Parker is a Master of Arts graduate of Glasgow University and a Bachelor of Divinity graduate of London University. A UK. Athletics Level 4 Coach in Sprints and Middle Distance Running, he has coached athletes to Olympic Games and world-class standard.. Contact Derek on 01505 324928 for training advice or join his coaching sessions at Linwood Sports Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.15 p.m. Male and female distance runners are welcome.