Which theme is prominent in this excerpt from "to an athlete dying young" by a. e housman

The speaker of "To an Athlete Dying Young" by A.E. Housman talks straightforwardly to a youthful competitor, offering exhortation and reflections on living, biting the dust, and distinction. 
In the principal stanza, the speaker reviews the time the youthful competitor, a runner, won a race for his town, and the general population was so excited with his triumph that everybody remained by and cheered as a few people lifted the runner on their shoulders and brought him home.