The Reason...The Target!

 The Reason...the Target may not always seem clear!   I don't want to share my woe's with you...because it's not about me.  I share my thoughts only so that you can see, that we feel just like you do and that we are trying to help you understand and know that we are with you every step of the way.  

I can't seem to understand why my knee just won't heal...why can't I just go for a simple run and enjoy the way it makes me feel inside...to be with you guys on the pavement, or on the trails...why?  And I was reminded just today, that it's not always about "why" something is happening or not happening...my focus needs to be WHAT am I doing with what I have!  WHAT is my reason?...WHAT is my Target?  Even though I miss doing what I love, I will keep fighting, I will keep smiling, I will keep believing, I will keep doing my best with what I have!  Because when it is all said and done...when I look back (which is often at my age now! 😉), I simply want to know (or be known) that I GAVE!  I don't have to be the fastest, I don't have to be the smartest, I don't have to have all the answers, I don't have to even fully understand the  "why"...I just need to know that it's worth it!  And in my HEART...it is worth it!  You are all worth it!  Please know that as we keep working for something bigger...as we aim for goals/dreams that may seem way out there...WHAT we do and HOW we do it, is what we will remember!

August 8-14  Summer Miles

Week 11

Lots of announcements: READ THEM ALL!

RACE WEEK! We finally get to do some racing!  Remember, we will still prepare you to race really well for this weekend, BUT WE ARE STILL TRAINING THROUGH (getting your miles in), because we are still working for the Big Picture...the end of the season!

YOU MUST FINISH GETTING ON registermyathlete.com AND GETTING A PHYSICAL DONE IN ORDER TO COMPETE.  If you don’t do this, then you WILL NOT be able to race yet.  As long as you have the online stuff done and I have the physical in my hand (or turned into the school), then you are good to go!  Please take care of this...I don’t need additional things to worry or figure out before Saturday.

Race Schedule:  Boys Varsity: 8am.   Girls Varsity: 8:45am.   Boys JV: 9:30am.   Girls JV: 10:15am.   The bus will leave at 6:15am...we need to set up the course when we get there.

I haven’t had a chance to talk to everyone who might be running the varsity races, so I don’t have the list finalized (plus, I can’t remember who can’t make the race...read all announcements below!!!!), so please be patient.  But most of the list is based off the Canyon runs right now (for the most part).  Thanks for understanding!

A reminder to all of you...I will not be here MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING (Family reunion).  PLEASE, follow the schedule for the week and HELP each other!  Be there for each other...Want the Best for each other!  For the night runs, REMEMBER TO BE RESPECTFUL (of the community and of my HOME!).  

Something we want you to do this week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).  We want you to run an easy and simple mile on those days in the middle of the afternoon.  We need to start feeling the HEAT of the day, so that it’s not a huge shock to the body when we race and train at that time!  We won’t over do it this week, but if you don’t work on this, it will be a big deal to you when you start racing...it will help!

We hope you are excited for this season.  We have done some GREAT work over the summer and now we get a chance to start going after some big dreams!  Remember that I won’t be here Monday - Wednesday.  Please help each other...get out there and keep doing the running!  Don’t let up or let “LIFE” slow you down or get you down!  You are doing GREAT things! 

I know that a few of you will not be able to run at the race on next Saturday...but I can’t remember EVERYONE who told me.  Will you please send me a text with your name, so I can make sure I sign up the right people for the race.  TEXT ME THIS WEEKEND PLEASE!!!!!  8019104080.

The air quality should be better by Monday to Tuesday.  If you feel unsure, then make sure you take care of yourself and find a way to keep up your running indoors (treadmill or something).  

Keep HYDRATING very well as it will be a hot one this week!  Get to bed at a good time EVERY NIGHT this week (to start good training for the season)! The races on Saturday will be in the morning when it is cooler, but still need you to be prepared for it to be hot when you run.

Pasta Party on Friday night at the BEAZER’s!  We will have signups for you to bring something.  Everyone is invited, but invitation is based on bringing something (an item per household).  I will have signups at Thursday morning practice.  It will be around 5:30pm.

Monday: AM: Meet @ the LDS Church (by the Grist mill at 7:30am).  3 routes this morning.

1.Cell tower loop (backwards)   6

2. Elbow turn (out and back)   4.7

3. Railroad crossing  3.5

PM: Night run @ Coachie’s 8:30.

Tuesday: AM Girls Choice (3-6 miles) come early if you want to get extra miles  before. Strength workout AFTER the run!  ONLY DO HALF OF THE STRENGTH, FULL CORE. 

PM: Night run @ Coachie’s 8:30

Wednesday: AM: Meet at the HS 7:30.  Here is a list of what we want you to do 

(Remember, I won’t be here)

1. Run Stansbury Elementary school loop easy.

2. Run 1 mile on the Track at 5K pace (if you are not sure what that pace is...run it like you have 3 miles to push that pace)  Be SMART!  Start with others that are about your ability (to help each other).  

3. Run Rabbit lane and back cool down.  (Newbies don’t run Rabbit lane)

4. 5 X 50m pickups on the grass

5. Elevate, core, and stretch.

PM: Night run @ Coachie’s 8:30

Thursday: AM: Boys choice (3-6 miles) at HS. We will do the Foot Strength workout first, together at the Track.

PM: Night run @ Coachie’s 8:30

Friday: AM: Everyone meet at the HS at 7:30am.  

PM: Pasta Party @ 5:30pm at the Beazer’s.

Night run (optional for everyone). 8:30.  Just a 2 mile run (to loosen up for Saturday’s race)

Saturday: RACE DAY!  Finally!

Be at the school at 6:15am (slight change from the schedule on the blog). 

We moved the races up so it’s cooler temps.

2 more weeks before school starts!!!!  Take advantage of this time!

Why Stick with it!?

I am not sure why the blog would NOT let me edit the announcements, so I had to delete the section and the ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SCHEDULE ARE DOWN BELOW THE POST!!!!!!!

I will keep this short and sweet for this week (getting ready for HARC can be a wonderful handful, if you know what I mean).  Before I go on, it is important FOR ALL OF YOU TO KNOW that whether you are going to HARC this time or not, it does not diminish what you have done so far, or what you are still aiming for this year!  Hopefully, as time goes on, you will see how much more capable you are than you thought and make it a goal to get to HARC next time (both those who have gone and those who haven't).

Quick thought for the week:  Please know that we truly understand "most" things that you are going through or dealing with, in your running.  It's not that we have all the answers or been through it all, but we really care about how YOU handle your ups and downs in running and your life (we believe they can be very connected to help you become better and stronger).  We understand that not every day is going to go as planned, and that you must be able to adjust, but what usually happens is that when things get tough or feel "off" from what we think it should be, we back off more than we should and then we get upset that we did, and then we shut down and sometimes it takes days to bounce back.  It definitely is a process to continually work on.  First thing is we need to be ok with "off days."  Learn to deal with them and then go get it the next day or next time (it could even be off in a race and the first mile is off and we can turn it around by sticking with it and next thing you know, the 2nd mile is better).  I share this because last Friday after the canyon run, I went to my cycling class to get my workout and miles in.  I know what kind of miles I can get because I have been doing it for some time.  After the warmup and then about 10 minutes of really pushing it with the routine, I felt exhausted! I did not have my normal pep or desire to push through the workout.  It felt like the resistance number that I normally use was just soooo much harder than ever before.  I remember thinking after those 10 minutes that I just hoped to survive and that I might get 16 miles and I would be happy with that (16 is the lowest I have gotten when doing a 60 minute workout).  I mean, I still had 50 or so minutes to go and so part of me was not looking forward to this.  But as the next song started and we worked into the routine, I remember telling myself that I try to remind you guys to KEEP STICKING WITH IT...that a lot of the time, if we stick with it, things can turn around and we will be surprised at what can happen.  So I kept trying to push through the "offness" of the workout.  I definitely couldn't get my resistance up to where I normally am and the speed was lower than normal (at least according to the display), but I just took it one song at a time.  I took a little longer rest in between songs but then got right back up into the routine and worked hard at it...I had a purpose to keep getting better!  As the workout was coming to an end and we were on the last song, I looked down and saw that my mileage was at 18.5 miles!  I couldn't believe that I had surpassed 16 miles based on how I felt.  We still had 1 minute left on the song and I immediately told myself that I was going to to get 19 miles before the song was done.   So I just cranked up the resistance and gave everything I had!  I thought I was going to collapse as I watched the miles go to .6 to .7 to .8 and then there was 10 seconds left, and the bike said .9!  As the song ended, it still said 18.9 miles, but I kept going...and 7 seconds later, I passed 19 miles.  That was the best cool down I have ever done! (I could barely sit in my seat!)  😜   To put this in perspective a little...the best  I have ever done is 20 miles in a workout (that's about 1 mile every 3 minutes).  I couldn't believe that by STICKING WITH IT as best as I could, I still was very close to my best...even though everything felt off!  Don't ever underestimate yourself or count yourself out.  

Most of the time, we do this to ourselves before we even start!!!!  Work on that...be a little more confident and strong before you even start the day or run.  

Take it one day at a time!  One run at a time!  Once race at a time!  One hill at a time!  One step at a time!  Stick with it!  You might just surprise yourself!  I guess this post wasn't as "Short and Sweet" as I thought it would be!  You guys just matter that much!  😁

August 1 - 7  Summer Miles

Week 10

This week is on your own!  We will still meet on Monday morning at the LDS Church.  We will then also meet again on Friday morning at 7:30am at the HS for a run.  We will then get to go to the Beazers for Breakfast, so EVERYONE come join us.  We will have some simple assignments to bring stuff (like juice, plates, cups, etc. so plan on it if you can!)

We have 2 weeks until our First race August 14th!   Let it be an exciting MOMENT and just enjoy your running!  I can’t believe it’s already here, but I am also pumped to finally get going!

Always a good reminder to keep HYDRATING WELL!

If you haven’t yet taken care of registering and IF YOU WANT TO RACE ON August 14th, THEN YOU MUST Get on registermyathlete.com and start registering for the 2021-2022 school year!  ALL of you must have it done before you can compete in any race.  EVERYONE MUST GET A PHYSICAL DONE! Turn it into me or the Athletic Director when you get it done!  If you have your physical done by that Saturday, you are good!  

The 2021 XC schedule is up and located on the FYI section down below.  Check it out!

MONDAY, AUGUST 16TH,  will be a Parent/Athlete mtg at the school cafeteria.  I wasn’t going to have one again this year (just do it like last year and let parents/students check the slide presentation).  And it is definitely ok to just check the PRESENTATION.  It is not required to come, but some PARENTS may want to come and have a chance to meet us Coaches so we are having the meeting.   (PLEASE TELL YOUR PARENTS! But don't worry if you or your parents aren't able to attend).  It will not take long...just giving out info, signups for Pasta Parties, and signup for UNIFORMS (if you need to order one...plus it can be done on the PRESENTATION SLIDES).   Come check it out @ 6pm IN THE CAFETERIA!

And Last item: We also only have 3 full weeks left before school starts.  Once school starts, our mileage begins to go down a little, so your summer mileage goals need to be at your best these next 2-3 weeks, because YOU CANNOT INCREASE YOUR MILEAGE ONCE SCHOOL STARTS (very counterproductive to what we are trying to do!) 

We will start running a mile or 2, at the most, in a couple of weeks IN THE AFTERNOON, to help adjust to running after school in warmer temps.

Monday: AM: Meet @ the LDS Church (by the Grist mill at 7:30am).  Cow Country routes today!  

1. Cow Country Adventure  6.33

2. Foothill Elbow turn   4.7

3. Railroad tracks Crossing  3.5

PM: ON YOUR OWN

Tuesday through Thursday:  ON YOUR OWN

Friday: AM: Meet @ 7:30 am at the High School.  Easy run! (3-6 miles)

Breakfast at the BEAZER’s after (EVERYONE is invited...but you need to come to the run!)

PM: You can meet up if you would like for an easy night run. Run VIVO!

Saturday: CAP RUN @ HS at 7am:  BBC loop

Next Week: Just to give you a heads up.  My Family and I will be out of town on Monday through Wednesday morning (a little camping getaway after HARC).  Details about workouts and expectations coming next week, but you all know the expectations...just be your BEST!