The Battle

What if I told you that you were going to place 2^nd or 3^rd in a race, would you care, would you be happy?  Most people would be very happy with 2^nd or 3^rd in a race.  I mean look at the Olympics or the World Championships those that take the silver or the bronze are ecstatic. 

Now what if you gave up 2^nd because others would never know that you had a chance at 2^nd but you did not want to work that hard or suffer that much.  Would you still be happy?  Would the fact that you gave up eat at you? 

Today (9/20/2015) I had that scenario play out in my head.  About 6-miles into a 10-mile trail run I was feeling that feeling that all runners get at some point.  Do I ease up or keep pushing.  For me it was about do I ease up and take third or do I try and break the person behind me or at least make them suffer to pass me.  I had the conversation with my sub-conscience.  Ultimately, I pushed through and worked for that 2^nd place. My driving force was the knowing that if I did not give my all, how could I ask my athletes to do the same in their races.   If I came to practice and it got out that I ran a race a took third many would be, wow that’s cool, 3^rd place is good.  

For me I would have a difficult time knowing that if I had given up that at the next meet I would have a tough time asking them to give that much more to dig just a little deeper.  The kids I coach give it their all and I appreciate that but it is normal for coaches to try to get that little bit more to show these athletes that they can sometimes find that little bit more.  In life, pushing through those difficult times is important to know that persevering is going to pay off.  Now I just have to use that same mentality to learn how to fold a fitted sheet. 

Summer is Here

The racing season is upon us. Thus far things are going okay.  It started with a poor performance at the 10Kato on Memorial day.  The performance was not poor because I was out of shape, I had a terrible cough for about 2 weeks that I did not go and see anyone about.  So it is on me and if anything has served as motivation. 

Since then I have started my summer training and had two stroller races.  The First was Arlington 5k, normally this is a 4miler but it had changed race directors at the last minute so things were not normal to put it lightly. The race itself was not great I went out too fast with the stroller (6:05).  From there I struggled, but managed to stay in the top 5 overall. Only to be beaten by high school runners.  The most recent race was the Sauerkraut Days 5k in Henderson.  Things went well here I PR’d with the stroller with a 19:32 was ninth overall and only two none high school kids beat me.  I was able to manage a top ten overall and was again the top in my age group. 

The next race is a none stroller race on the Fourth of July in St. Peter and is an 8k.