Ladies,
Our first week has come and gone, and so far I'm very encouraged.
We had a big initial turnout. Some decided running wasn't for them, and that was bound to happen. No hard feelings! Most stayed, and that's great news. We'll also be picking up a few more as we move along. I think our numbers are going to be very healthy.
We have talent. Up and down the field we have all manner of runners, and I think this year's group has a broader spectrum of talent than we've seen the last couple of years. We've had strong runners, but we haven't had as much leg speed as I think we have now. Leg speed is hard to teach. You can make a speedy runner stronger, but it's hard to make a strong runner speedy. That may not make much sense now, but it soon will. ANYWAY, not wanting to lose the thought, I'm glad we have more natural speed. It's a good thing.
We have competitive girls. I see girls fighting for positions. Good! This is a competitive sport, and you should be competing with one another. That's one of the benefits of training with others. Rivalries make better runners and better teams, so long as it's not made personal. This is a point I want to expand a bit, so indulge me for a few...
I'm still a competitive athlete myself. My sport is triathlon, which comprises swimming, riding, and running (in that order). I was a competitive swimmer in high school, ran competitively as an adult, and became a biker after that. I am not the best in any of the three individual activities, but I am balanced and solid.
What this sets up is a set of three rivalries which exist with my training buddies. There are guys that run faster than me. I don't want that, so I will fight to keep up, or better yet pass them. Ultimately there are those I cannot beat - they are too good - but I'm still going to try to beat them. Same thing in riding. Some guys climb better, some sprint better, some are just overall better. I don't care. I will assess their strengths and weaknesses and compare them to mine, and I will look for the opportunity to take advantage. And then I will strike. Nothing personal. I just want to win.
And here's the best part; they're all doing the same thing. We don't take it personally, because we all understand that give-and-take relationship we share improves us collectively. I'm not satisfied to be just "so far" behind anyone every day. NO! I will at least be with you, or better still, know I could pass you. If not, I've got work to do.
Thinking like this has another benefit - these thought processes should be occupying your mind during a race. By practicing the thought process, it becomes automatic. So much of what happens in racing is conditional and temporary, and if you don't strike when the chance arrives, the chance is soon lost. You have to be mentally quick enough to correctly assess your situation and figure out how best to use it. It can be the difference in a race.
I wouldn't end this without pointing out what happens after the race/workout with my friends... we talk about it. I tell them what I was seeing, how I viewed it, and exactly where I went for the weak spot. This is not arrogance at all... it's information they may need, because it's a hole in their game they need to fill. Whether or not I was able to "win" against them, in most cases they appreciate knowing about it. They do the same for me. This is not done with an "in your face" tone, it's a respect issue. My relationship with these guys stretches back years, indeed in some cases decades, and I want nothing but the best for them.
So long as I win. ;)
Our first week has come and gone, and so far I'm very encouraged.
We had a big initial turnout. Some decided running wasn't for them, and that was bound to happen. No hard feelings! Most stayed, and that's great news. We'll also be picking up a few more as we move along. I think our numbers are going to be very healthy.
We have talent. Up and down the field we have all manner of runners, and I think this year's group has a broader spectrum of talent than we've seen the last couple of years. We've had strong runners, but we haven't had as much leg speed as I think we have now. Leg speed is hard to teach. You can make a speedy runner stronger, but it's hard to make a strong runner speedy. That may not make much sense now, but it soon will. ANYWAY, not wanting to lose the thought, I'm glad we have more natural speed. It's a good thing.
We have competitive girls. I see girls fighting for positions. Good! This is a competitive sport, and you should be competing with one another. That's one of the benefits of training with others. Rivalries make better runners and better teams, so long as it's not made personal. This is a point I want to expand a bit, so indulge me for a few...
I'm still a competitive athlete myself. My sport is triathlon, which comprises swimming, riding, and running (in that order). I was a competitive swimmer in high school, ran competitively as an adult, and became a biker after that. I am not the best in any of the three individual activities, but I am balanced and solid.
What this sets up is a set of three rivalries which exist with my training buddies. There are guys that run faster than me. I don't want that, so I will fight to keep up, or better yet pass them. Ultimately there are those I cannot beat - they are too good - but I'm still going to try to beat them. Same thing in riding. Some guys climb better, some sprint better, some are just overall better. I don't care. I will assess their strengths and weaknesses and compare them to mine, and I will look for the opportunity to take advantage. And then I will strike. Nothing personal. I just want to win.
And here's the best part; they're all doing the same thing. We don't take it personally, because we all understand that give-and-take relationship we share improves us collectively. I'm not satisfied to be just "so far" behind anyone every day. NO! I will at least be with you, or better still, know I could pass you. If not, I've got work to do.
Thinking like this has another benefit - these thought processes should be occupying your mind during a race. By practicing the thought process, it becomes automatic. So much of what happens in racing is conditional and temporary, and if you don't strike when the chance arrives, the chance is soon lost. You have to be mentally quick enough to correctly assess your situation and figure out how best to use it. It can be the difference in a race.
I wouldn't end this without pointing out what happens after the race/workout with my friends... we talk about it. I tell them what I was seeing, how I viewed it, and exactly where I went for the weak spot. This is not arrogance at all... it's information they may need, because it's a hole in their game they need to fill. Whether or not I was able to "win" against them, in most cases they appreciate knowing about it. They do the same for me. This is not done with an "in your face" tone, it's a respect issue. My relationship with these guys stretches back years, indeed in some cases decades, and I want nothing but the best for them.
So long as I win. ;)
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