Confidence!

 

As we talked with many of you, and watching you race this weekend, we felt there was a common feeling among you guys with how it went or maybe, what was missing.  CONFIDENCE!  It's natural to second guess ourselves or think that "we don't belong" or "it's too fast" or "I'm tired" and who knows what else... so how do we gain CONFIDENCE?  Well, I'd be a rich man if I knew the perfect answer for that!  But what we can tell you are 2 things that you can easily focus on right now that can help.

1. Keep doing the "Little Things!"   What are the little things?  Honestly, they can be different for all of us because we all have strengths and weakness.  The "Little Things" are those areas that help you improve the weaknesses.  For example, in order to gain more confidence on having a more consistent pace, then how could you work on that?  Possibly in practice, you could take a couple of days during the week and really focus on hitting the same pace for every mile on a recovery run...see if you can FEEL the pace and be more confident in keeping it.    Another one could be gaining confidence to actually run faster than you think you are capable of doing.   A little thing to try and do for that would to start more runs (not necessarily every run), with people who are faster than you (or at least people who seem a step ahead and you want to get there), and begin with them.  When and if, it becomes too much, then learn to back off (or it will affect your future runs), and you will see that you will become better and better over time!  Great way to build CONFIDENCE!

2. Write down things about your run or race, every day!  Just like in the book, "The Fearless Mind" the recipe for having a fearless mind is to write down a couple of items you did well during the run/practice/race and 1 item that you want to improve on.  It would be best to say HOW you will improve on that item...that is how you build CONFIDENCE!

YOU ARE AN AMAZING GROUP OF KIDS!  SOMETIMES WE FEEL THAT YOU DON'T KNOW THIS ENOUGH...not to get a big head or anything of course...BUT YOU ALWAYS WORK HARD, YOU CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER, YOU LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER, YOU HAVE GOOD IDEAS AND INTENTIONS (about most things! 😉), YOU DON'T GIVE UP!    Recognize the good things you are doing and keep working on doing the 2 things above...well, if you want to improve your CONFIDENCE!

WHAT CAN RUNNING DO...

 

What can RUNNING do for YOU?  I can tell you that whatever you are willing to give to running, IT WILL GIVE MORE BACK!  We know it can be a bit much with school starting back up and still trying to keep your mileage goals, and mentally preparing for more racing (which really should be moments you look forward to), but with all of that, the pressures of the World can start to feel heavy.  That is the beauty of running...if you allow it, it can be a breathe of fresh air, a moment of letting the World go, a chance to free your mind and body and focus on something simple.   Of course, running can be hard at times, and requires some toughness, but you have proven that running can TRANSFORM YOU if you let it...if you will learn to realize that the times you feel the most "dead", are actually the times you feel the most ALIVE!  Because when you give to running...it seems to always give back more!  Let this week be about recognizing what Running does for YOU!   See the power it brings to you, the good it does for you, the strength that it builds in you, the drive that changes you! 

I tweaked this video years ago to fit our Team!  It feels right to share with this Team right now!  Listen to all the things that Running changes in us!  The change that helps us become the BEST US!

Have a GREAT week!  Remember, it's all about HOW you choose to view this week and the weeks to come!  Make it great or you can dread it.  Sounds like an obvious choice, right?  Make it GREAT!  

Your Biggest FANS!

 

It was wonderful to finally have a race under our belts and get out there and compete!  It can be a little "scary" because it's the first race and so many of you have put in so much time and effort and you are not sure what might happen.  So we understand the "jitters" and the possible hesitancy in believing you can go for it.  But what we want you to know is THAT WE ARE YOUR BIGGEST FANS!  We are and will always be behind you...giving you all that we have!  It doesn't matter what the outcome is, we will always care about how you are doing...encouraging you to overcome the barriers that hold you back at times, to see the good things that you did!  So please listen to what we have to share with you next!

It's the first race of the season!  With the amount of work and running we have done over the summer, it is easy to sometimes feel "comfortable" with how well we do as a program...that we will automatically do well because of how much we have done.   And the truth is...PHYSICALLY WE HAVE!  Maybe some of us could have been a little better at being consistent, or maybe doing the little things...maybe we struggled with understanding what it really means to give our all or be truly dedicated to being a Champion!  There are lots of "maybe's" and that can make the outcome feel a little off!  Look, we are not here to make excuses and say "it's just the beginning of the season, so don't worry" (it's true though)...all of the other teams were running the same "beginning" as we were, so obviously there are no excuses to give.  But what you may not recognize is that THE FOUNDATION IS THERE!  THE CHANCE TO DO AND BE A PART OF SOMETHING REMARKABLE AND SPECIAL IS STILL IN THE MAKING!  It's up to YOU to decide what to do with all of this!  

I love to watch how people react to situations and I watch how other teams handle themselves, and you can tell which Teams really believe in the work that they have done.  We feel like many of you want to do something amazing and special with this running thing...YOU talk about big dreams, and awesome expectations!  YOU show at times that you really want to give your all that you are willing to what it takes, but when it gets to the "nitty gritty" there seems to be something missing!  The Great ones don't mind the "Nitty Gritty!"  Here is the honest truth!...YOU GUYS GET THE SAME CHAMPIONSHIP TRAINING AS ANY OF OUR TOP TEAMS HAVE RECEIVED...AS ANY OTHER GREAT PROGRAM IN THIS STATE... HOW you choose to use it is and always has been about whether YOU grab it and hold onto it and love it and embrace the discomfort!  It feels like sometimes (as a Team), that we are just "hanging on for the ride" and running to run, instead of realizing that the FUN is in doing the extra little things...in having to have your Coaches tell you to back off because you want so much more that you are excited to do more...THAT IS WHEN IT'S FUN!

When this season/year is over, what will you remember?  What do you think will stand out to you?  Did most of you do so many miles just for the sake of doing miles?  WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A MUCH BIGGER REASON AND YOU JUST NEED TO DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO DO IT!     I went to a concert on Saturday (that's right...your Coach is cool enough to hang at concerts! 😂), and one of the songs just really hit me hard!  It's a song you all have heard many times, and are familiar with!  But I want to have you read the lyrics from the point of view as what you want to get out of this running thing!  What do you want to FEEL when you step out there into the NON-COMFORT Zone!  How does it apply to making you a better Runner...a better Person!  We share this with you because in the end...WE ARE YOUR BIGGEST FANS and we just want to help you discover the JOY in life...and Running is a great way to apply and find that JOY!

Here are the lyrics!  With my little insights about how to maybe apply it to US, in red.

Hope when you take that jump
You don't fear the fall (It can be scary to go after it...but Trust and Listen and it will surprise you)
Hope when the water rises
You built a wall  (being prepared for the tough things, like summer miles just means that you are ready for what WILL come your way)
Hope when the crowd screams out
It's screaming your name
Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay   (When thing seem hard and "uncomfortable", you will stick through it!)

Hope that you fall in love
And it hurts so bad  (The only way...THE ONLY WAY to know that you "love" something is to take a chance and lay it out there...can lead to getting hurt, but at least you will know!)
The only way you can know
You give it all you have  (The more you give...the more you get!)
And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain  (discomfort does not have to be suffering...taking the pain and learning how to work through it is how you discover the FUN in life)
Hope when the moment comes you'll say

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived   (The chorus is something we should all ask ourselves every time we pursue doing something important)

Hope that you spend your days
But they all add up   (one thing leads us to the next thing...it's about the PROCESS!)
And when that sun goes down
Hope you raise your cup
Oh, oh
I wish that I could witness
All your joy
And all your pain
But until my moment comes, I'll say

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived

If you truly want to have a Championship mindset, attitude, belief...then FEEL the words above!

SAYing YES means...

 

I was listening to a top athlete mention what it meant to "SAY YES" to being the Best.   Saying YES means saying NO to other things...things that will deter you from believing or striving for the YES!   For example, saying YES to Nationals, or placing at State, or reaching a certain time on a course...means saying NO to late nights, eating unhealthy, being scared to sacrifice for the little things, missing practice, making excuses, and other little things.   Every decision you make should be steering you towards your goal, not taking away from what matters to you.

It doesn't mean that your life must avoid FUN...in fact, it's quite the opposite!  But the World's fun is different than ENJOYING THE PROCESS of doing what it takes to go after your goals...your desires...your dreams!  In the end, doing what it takes to sacrifice for the big picture, brings the JOY, the FUN, the SMILES, the LOVE for what really matters to you!

If you really believe what you SAY (and we have heard a lot said lately about what we believe and want to do as a Team), then SAY YES through your actions, your thoughts, your talk, your outward appearance!  If you want to be a "Champion" then we need to act, think, talk, look...like a Champion!  Not just in running, but in all we do...our MINDS need to know that we truly are what we want to be...even if we aren't quite there yet!  But you gotta start somewhere!   

This same top athlete said at the end of his interview..."if everyone on the team was doing what you were doing (the good things and the not so good things), WOULD THE TEAM BE BETTER?"   This is how every single one of us can contribute to being GREAT!

I love this video because it reminds me of all the THOUGHTS can go through our minds and that sometimes it can be overwhelming, but if we can learn to Trust, keep working, keep believing...SAY YES, then we can allow the mind and body to TRANSFORM into the BEST US!