Saturday, August 16, 2014

Donuts, Milk, and Sore Legs!

Ladies,

Outstanding job on the run today. Nine miles is a big deal, a milestone for the season. We've managed to push the distance up and up, and it seems like that is going as well as any could hope. True, a couple didn't go the whole distance, but that will always be the case. There will always be someone with a problem or an injury. That's totally normal, and you will all go through it at some point.

Just a small aside on that point, my job as coach is to ascertain your condition on any given day and give you the proper amount of stress to help you grow. This will not always allow all of you to get the same workout. Do not take this personally! You may think you know your running better than I do, and in some ways you might, but I have the perspective you don't; an unbiased outside observer with experience. We'll work together put a plan together come what may.

I've actually given thought to starting separate tracks, giving those with unique skill sets workouts tailored to their specific needs. In a perfect world I would. It might sound crazy, but isn't that exactly what you do in the spring in track? My problem is manpower and management. All those workouts would need to be monitored and analyzed, and I only have one set of eyes. I don't think I could do it justice, so that idea sits on the back-burner.

But back to today... I thought you all handled that pretty well, even Kate, who struggled by the end. Growing hurts, because you are stretching, breaking, healing, then repeating it all over again. Truth is, if you don't occasionally hurt in a workout, you aren't getting everything you should.

We all have those moments when we face something unpleasant and we mentally start looking for a rationalization for an easier path. Often with kids that's a direct line - I don't want to do that, so I'll do something else. Adults, my friends included, will start the bargaining process. "Oh, I have that big day at work coming, and I don't want to be too tired, so I'll do this instead." Stuff like that. My job was usually to come back with, "I came here to work hard. You guys can do what you like." That typically does the trick, because it reminds them they really do have goals, and the only way to achieve them is to, well, work hard.

That all may sound cocky, but think about it. When you behave that way you are modeling the right way to do things for others. Everyone knows they are about to suffer, but man, how impressive is it to have that one person stand up, look it in the eye and say, "bring it." It can turn the whole workout around for everyone.

I am happy to say this team is full of people who bring it every day. I have not heard anyone whine, what I would truly call a whine. Telling me your hip hurts isn't whining - it's keeping me informed. Complaining a bit about not wanting to do something isn't whining. Carrying on about it is. And that has been wonderfully, beautifully absent this season.

No one, not any of you, wanted to run 9 miles this morning. I didn't hear a cheer go up when I gave the workout. Fair enough, it's not needed. I also didn't hear anyone tear it down and make it all the harder for everyone else. You all set your jaws and got to business. You might not have known how it would turn out, but you went. And look what happened!

I want to commend both Carrie and Diana for their leadership. They might not be the most vocal and boisterous people on the team, but they are great leaders in every possible way. What I really love about it is they have a way of leading without stepping on heads. From what I can see, from top to bottom, youngest to oldest, everyone seems comfortable and able to speak and relate to all the others, which is exactly what I'd want to see. This is not an easy thing to pull off, but amazingly, they make it look easy. Bravo!

Oh, and for funzies, let me post a link to the run based on my Garmin data.

Nine Miles With the Girls

Enjoy! See you all on Monday.

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