Did Louie’s athletic career help prepare him for what he would face in war?

[Kyle]

Yes. For one, running that much would have left his body in very good shape. More than that, though, I believe the athletic career gave him a certain mental toughness that would allow him to push through some of the hardships he would face. On pg. 34, as Louie is running a race in the Berlin olympics, he decides to sprint as fast as possible for the last lap, "He found himself thinking of Pete, and of something that he had said as they had sat on their bed years earlier: A lifetime of glory is worth a moment of pain. Louie thought: Let go."
Sprinting as hard as possible after already running hard for several laps would be hard for a lot of people, especially if you know you wouldn't win the race anyway. That attitude would help him face any number of hardships later.

[Ashley]

Kyle wrote: "Yes. For one, running that much would have left his body in very good shape. More than that, though, I believe the athletic career gave him a certain mental toughness that would allow him to push t..."

I agree. I think the thing that transcended everything was his mental capacity and endurance. If he wasn't so willful and determined with everything in his life, including when he was a trouble-making kid, then he probably wouldn't of survived as well or at all.

[Hannah]

Kyle wrote: "Yes. For one, running that much would have left his body in very good shape. More than that, though, I believe the athletic career gave him a certain mental toughness that would allow him to push t..."

Definitely. Louie is one of the most determined and strong-willed people I've ever read about, and a great bit of that was likely formed during his years as a runner. Also, I think that his running gave him an outlet. The book said at one point that he would get up and go run sometimes, usually when stressed. Without Pete getting him started in running, he may never have had that outlet and, without a place for his stress to go, he could have had a much worse mental experience while in the Pacific.

[Anna]

Agreed with all! Also, I think the running gave him something to look forward to after he survived the camps. He had overcome childhood illness to become a great runner, and perhaps he knew that whatever came at him in the camp he could handle.