Dathan on doing the little things

Dathan Ritzenhein published a post on the not-so-casual life of a distance runner.  Here's an excerpt:

"I truly believe that consistency and the little things play a major role in taking one’s running to the next level. Sometimes I get the response, "aren’t you missing out on so many things, such as skiing, snowboarding, dancing, mountain biking, etc.?" But I don’t see my life as missing out; I see it as reaching my maximum potential. And if I have to postpone these little things till I’m older that is fine, because in this occupation you don’t have until you are 65 to accomplish everything you want. Everything in this career is condensed into 10-15 years. That is why I try to be as diligent as possible, making sure I stretch, eat right, get enough sleep, hydrate. I feel that everything adds up, and can make or break you sometimes." (emphasis mine)

You'll recognize this message in my previous posts on how Greatness is Elemental: Oxygen, Water, and Food (with Shelter and Discipline coming soon, I promise!).  Great athletes, be they runners, ballers or even chess players, devote their life to their goals.  They cultivate a lifestyle that enables them to achieve their potential.

So here's the big question: if you don't have all day to train--say you've got classes or work--then how are you going to compete with someone like Dathan? 

(And yes, I believe you can.)