Ladies,
It's now or never. For the last five months we've prepared for this moment. You've done your work, now you have to apply the lessons you've learned as well.
I wish I could tell you there is no pressure. Well, there is. A bunch. You either punch your ticket or you don't, and there's no turning back. You have to master not only the course but yourselves, and do things you've not yet done. All the while you have the sure knowledge the rest of the team is counting on you.
Yup, that's pressure.
I always try to frame things in the positive, so here is my view; I'm glad my team is counting on me. I'm glad I have a chance to contribute. I'm glad I have this challenge. I'm glad to test my strength, my will, my all. If I fail, I fail, but I won't give up either way. This should be your mindset as you enter the race tomorrow. Don't worry about what might go wrong. Eyes straight ahead!
I did some recalculation after our meal tonight... we are seeded 7th right now, 18 points from 5th. For all intents and purposes, that's a three-way tie for 5th (Northview, Shakamak, BNL). And things are a great deal closer than that.
If you didn't catch how I calculated (I explained it earlier), I took the results from the Terre Haute Sectional and subtracted 45 seconds from each runner's times. I did this because the times seemed slow to me, and I figured the course must have been in bad shape. That was a very conservative thing for me to do, because the Terre Haute course is never fast.
Next I seeded all 10 teams that would be in our Regional. I placed scores for the top-5 runners of each team and calculated. Bloomington South and Terre Haute North are runaway favorites on the front, but after that, things get interesting. Let's just say next year Terre Haute South and Bloomington North had better look out!
And that brings us back to our current situation. Nothing has really changed about our plan - you all have to run a bit better, or a couple of you had better run out of your minds (or both).
Breakdown:
Joslyn and Carrie - the early pace will determine the course of the day for both you and our team. You have to be under control if you plan to finish well, This means from the start of the second mile on you have to chase hard... and you had better. Sydney would be the perfect person to shadow, because she has a pretty good bead on how to run our course. Joslyn, had you started with Sydney (or just behind her) last week, you would have beaten her. You might want to keep that in mind.
If the team doesn't get out, you girls are 5th and 7th unattached.
Katlyn and Zoe - you two are the very definition of the bubble. You both need to run 7-flat all day, I mean pit bull tenacious mindset. That's 21:42, which should safely get you both out should we fail to leave as a team. Of course you running that time would probably get us out if all else stays the same, so it works either way. Remember, you have to accelerate once you hit the second mile. It won't feel good, but it won't kill you. If ever you needed to stand the pain, tomorrow is that day.
If the team doesn't get out, you girls are 11th and 13th on the unattached.
Chelsey and Cynthaney - don't think you two have it any easier or harder than anyone else. Chelsey, I'm asking you to do something you've nearly done before - go for 23:00. Cynthaney, I'm asking you to do something you've looked ready to do for some time - go for 23:00. If either of you can approach or crack that number, the team WILL get out, no doubt about it. You have to fire up like you never have before, and lay it all out there. It's asking a lot, just give it all you have.
There is no Semi-State for you two if the team does not get out. It's do or die.
Diana - it is imperative you hold right at the 24 mark or below. If Chelsey and Cynthaney both blow up going for their goals, you could still get us through with a solid time. That would require everyone else dropping, but it could be done. I've seen that look of determination on your face before - let's see it again tomorrow. Control in the first mile - you don't need more than 7:40 to hit your goal. Be under 15:30 at mile 2, then dig in for all you have. It's as simple as that.
Girls, you've been through a lot together. I know everyone is tired, and some of you may be battling with an inner desire for this all to be over so you can move on to other things. That is normal. That means you have pushed yourselves, and you are this --><-- close to getting the most out of yourselves. You are rested. You are trained. Why not trust your bodies and lay it out there tomorrow?
Control first mile.
Blast off second mile.
Carry on third mile and to the finish.
Bargain with yourself. Lie to yourself. Tell yourself anything you need to in order to keep the pressure up one more minute, a few more seconds, a few more steps. Just keep doing it over and over...
It's now or never. For the last five months we've prepared for this moment. You've done your work, now you have to apply the lessons you've learned as well.
I wish I could tell you there is no pressure. Well, there is. A bunch. You either punch your ticket or you don't, and there's no turning back. You have to master not only the course but yourselves, and do things you've not yet done. All the while you have the sure knowledge the rest of the team is counting on you.
Yup, that's pressure.
I always try to frame things in the positive, so here is my view; I'm glad my team is counting on me. I'm glad I have a chance to contribute. I'm glad I have this challenge. I'm glad to test my strength, my will, my all. If I fail, I fail, but I won't give up either way. This should be your mindset as you enter the race tomorrow. Don't worry about what might go wrong. Eyes straight ahead!
I did some recalculation after our meal tonight... we are seeded 7th right now, 18 points from 5th. For all intents and purposes, that's a three-way tie for 5th (Northview, Shakamak, BNL). And things are a great deal closer than that.
If you didn't catch how I calculated (I explained it earlier), I took the results from the Terre Haute Sectional and subtracted 45 seconds from each runner's times. I did this because the times seemed slow to me, and I figured the course must have been in bad shape. That was a very conservative thing for me to do, because the Terre Haute course is never fast.
Next I seeded all 10 teams that would be in our Regional. I placed scores for the top-5 runners of each team and calculated. Bloomington South and Terre Haute North are runaway favorites on the front, but after that, things get interesting. Let's just say next year Terre Haute South and Bloomington North had better look out!
And that brings us back to our current situation. Nothing has really changed about our plan - you all have to run a bit better, or a couple of you had better run out of your minds (or both).
Breakdown:
Joslyn and Carrie - the early pace will determine the course of the day for both you and our team. You have to be under control if you plan to finish well, This means from the start of the second mile on you have to chase hard... and you had better. Sydney would be the perfect person to shadow, because she has a pretty good bead on how to run our course. Joslyn, had you started with Sydney (or just behind her) last week, you would have beaten her. You might want to keep that in mind.
If the team doesn't get out, you girls are 5th and 7th unattached.
Katlyn and Zoe - you two are the very definition of the bubble. You both need to run 7-flat all day, I mean pit bull tenacious mindset. That's 21:42, which should safely get you both out should we fail to leave as a team. Of course you running that time would probably get us out if all else stays the same, so it works either way. Remember, you have to accelerate once you hit the second mile. It won't feel good, but it won't kill you. If ever you needed to stand the pain, tomorrow is that day.
If the team doesn't get out, you girls are 11th and 13th on the unattached.
Chelsey and Cynthaney - don't think you two have it any easier or harder than anyone else. Chelsey, I'm asking you to do something you've nearly done before - go for 23:00. Cynthaney, I'm asking you to do something you've looked ready to do for some time - go for 23:00. If either of you can approach or crack that number, the team WILL get out, no doubt about it. You have to fire up like you never have before, and lay it all out there. It's asking a lot, just give it all you have.
There is no Semi-State for you two if the team does not get out. It's do or die.
Diana - it is imperative you hold right at the 24 mark or below. If Chelsey and Cynthaney both blow up going for their goals, you could still get us through with a solid time. That would require everyone else dropping, but it could be done. I've seen that look of determination on your face before - let's see it again tomorrow. Control in the first mile - you don't need more than 7:40 to hit your goal. Be under 15:30 at mile 2, then dig in for all you have. It's as simple as that.
Girls, you've been through a lot together. I know everyone is tired, and some of you may be battling with an inner desire for this all to be over so you can move on to other things. That is normal. That means you have pushed yourselves, and you are this --><-- close to getting the most out of yourselves. You are rested. You are trained. Why not trust your bodies and lay it out there tomorrow?
Control first mile.
Blast off second mile.
Carry on third mile and to the finish.
Bargain with yourself. Lie to yourself. Tell yourself anything you need to in order to keep the pressure up one more minute, a few more seconds, a few more steps. Just keep doing it over and over...
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