What kind of DIFFERENT?

 

As I was contemplating this week about our theme of what it means to Kia Kaha (Stand for Something...to Stand Strong!),  I couldn't help but feel that the most powerful way to Stand Strong, to be Better, is quite honestly, to be Different! But what kind of DIFFERENT?   It takes courage, and something special deep inside to realize that the difficulties in life, the tough moments, the amazing mornings, or fun nights, the chance for a personal best, or being thankful (GRATITUDE), that you just got out to run today...are what separate us from the "normal" day to day things people do everyday!  It may seem at times that the reasons for doing this are quite far-fetched...I mean, just think about it...when someone asks you "why do you run?"  What is your response?  How do you really answer that?!  This is why we are different...it's not an answer that can necessarily be given in words, but rather, EXPERIENCED!  It is something that is FELT!  It is something that MOVES US because something deep inside is telling us that it is worth it...that there is something SPECIAL about what we are doing on this team!  It's not always easy to remember the goals, and the reasons for getting out there every day, in the heat, early in the morning, when you might be out of town, or out of your routine...those are the moments that make you Different...those are the moments that CHANGE YOU...that is how you make lasting MEMORIES!
                        We share these thoughts with you, as a reminder and a challenge, to re-evaluate where you are physically and mentally!  We feel as though we all want something special to happen, and we know that it can, but unless you have been injured or communicated with us about circumstances, WE HAVE MISSED TOO MANY OF YOU LATELY (we understand that you can't be to everything, but if you are at home, why aren't you with us?  And unfortunately, the ones needing to read this won't).  We are only reminding you that there are no excuses (except for certain circumstances...ie injury, etc), to hold you back from achieving your goals...your MILES.  After 5 weeks of summer miles, the HARC considerations require you to be around 180 miles (at the end of this week).  If this is something that matters to you, and you are a little behind...evaluate why...talk to your Coaches about what you can do!  And just getting the miles is not enough to get to HARC also...it takes being at practices...or communicating to us...it takes being able to show us that you are ABLE to handle a HARC run!  We have a lot of amazing kids, giving everything they have and more, and we have some who could do just a little more...either way, the BEST way to "Stand for Something, to Stand Strong, to Do the Little Things" is with each other...seeing the good that you are doing and seeing if there are things that you can do better (I didn't necessarily say MORE, but BETTER!).  Like we said...this is just a reminder of reevaluating yourself and making any adjustments to head in the direction you WANT to be heading!  

We understand that it requires a lot to stay motivated, to work through the mundane moments of getting out there...but a reminder to ALL of US...The Great ones (which we have some of our very OWN on this Team...now and from the past), the Great Teams are doing exactly what we are doing!  They are getting out there every day, putting in the work, the miles!  So our summer miles is not something that will separate us from them...it will be the LITTLE THINGS!  The Attitude, the mental work, the Books we read (come get your book if you have earned it!), the TIME together and more!  Being a RUNNER already makes us DIFFERENT, so What are we doing to be just a little more "different" from other Runners?

You being DIFFERENT as a Runner is a good thing...it is what makes you Special...it is what allows you to Kia Kaha  

                           I love this 2 minute video that I feel describes exactly what we have been feeling this week and hopefully can help us all go after that next step in our process!  Like the video says...hopefully it "MOVES YOU!"

Thinking requires...ACTION!

 

I had the wonderful opportunity to listen to a Great coach this last week (Ed Eyestone from BYU).  He shared some great stories that reminded me of WHY we keep trying to pursue this running thing and HOW to keep going at it!

He started off by sharing his love for kid stories that his mom taught him.  He shared the classic story of the "The Little Blue Engine" (more commonly know today as the Engine that Could...variations throughout the years).   Now, the version he shared was not one that I was truthfully familiar with...(the one I know is about the little engine that believed it could get the train to the top of the mountain even though it was small and all the bigger engines didn't even try.  It's mantra to get to the top was "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"  And it eventually makes it to the top and over and says "I thought I could").   Come to find out, THAT IS NOT THE ORIGINAL STORY OF THIS CLASSIC TALE!   Here is the story that He shared...

The Little Blue Engine

by Shel Silverstein 

The little blue engine looked up at the hill.
His light was weak, his whistle was shrill.
He was tired and small, and the hill was tall,
And his face blushed red as he softly said,
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”

So he started up with a chug and a strain,
And he puffed and pulled with might and main.
And slowly he climbed, a foot at a time,
And his engine coughed as he whispered soft,
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”

With a squeak and a creak and a toot and a sigh,
With an extra hope and an extra try,
He would not stop — now he neared the top —
And strong and proud he cried out loud,
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!”

He was almost there, when — CRASH! SMASH! BASH!
He slid down and mashed into engine hash
On the rocks below... which goes to show
If the track is tough and the hill is rough,
THINKING you can just ain’t enough!

The original involves the Little Engine crashing and smashing back down the hill...because...Thinking you can is just not enough!   It's nice to have big goals, big dreams...to help us and inspire us, to motivate us, to get and stay excited about doing hard things...BUT WHAT MATTERS IS THE ACTIONS WE TAKE TO MAKE THOSE GOALS/DREAMS A POSSIBILITY!   Coach Eyestone shared some stories about when he was a HS runner and how he was able to go from a "good" runner to a State Champion!  He of course believed he could do great things and wanted to be the best (beating runners that had never been beaten), but it involved putting in the work like a Champion AND THEN TAKING A CHANCE ON HIMSELF to run with the Best (not just SAY IT...He took Action).  Not to be scared to take that chance to run faster, stay with the fastest kids in the State...and when he finally did that, HE KNEW THAT HE COULD DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN!  Now, not every race went perfect for him in the years to come, but doing the WORK and KNOWING THAT HE BELONGED changed his mindset that led to unbelievable performances in the future (college champion and Olympic runner).   

It doesn't matter if you are the fastest on the Team, first year or 4th year runner, social runner or absolute running beast...WHAT MATTERS IS THAT AS THE "TRACK IS TOUGH AND THE HILL IS ROUGH"...WE REALIZE THAT THE BELIEF MATCHES THE WORK!   Because, in the end, that is what you will remember most and recognize the amazing change that has occurred in YOU!

We KNOW YOU CAN!

Watch this video...it's worth the 4minutes!

The WAY...is Today!

 

Kia Kaha!  To Stand for something, to stand strong, to do the little things!

But what is the point of BELIEVING in that simple meaning of Kia Kaha, IF WE DON'T DO IT CONSISTENTLY EVERY DAY?

We have mentioned many times that there are NO shortcuts to Greatness!  There is simply "The WAY!"  What is "The WAY?"   We are not here to tell you that there is one perfect training plan or you must do exactly what we tell you to do...we want YOU ALL to know that we have worked hard over many years to tweak, adjust, make better, and have PROVEN that "The WAY" we try to do things in this program, simply WORK!  Being together, building consistently over the weeks and months, doing the little things of showing up everyday, or communicating better, inspiring each other and YOURSELF!  

We talk about being CHAMPIONS!  Making it to some of the end of season CHAMPIONSHIP RACES,  but something we realized this week is that being a CHAMPION is more than some end of the season destination!  YOU don't get to decide if YOU are a CHAMPION because YOU can't control what others might do or the weather or other distractors.  YOU can simply focus on being the BEST YOU...giving yourself the best chance to improve by getting out there TODAY and doing what YOU should be doing TODAY!  Take care of TODAY and EVERYTHING ELSE WILL FALL INTO PLACE!  That doesn't guarantee you will "win" but the alternative (by not taking the chance, by not being consistent, by not doing the little things, by not standing strong for something), means you definitely WILL NOT.

So...what is "The WAY"?   Simple...Take care of TODAY!

1 and a half minute video to remind us of the little things to do...TODAY...NOW.

 

The WHY?

 

 

I don't know "why" but the WHY just won't leave my mind!   I guess it is probably because when anyone starts out on a new adventure (even if it seems familiar to you), REALIZING YOUR REASON FOR DOING IT MAKES IT MORE POWERFUL AND MEANINGFUL!   When you truly know WHY you are doing it...IT ISN'T SO HARD TO GO OUT THERE AND DO IT...ESPECIALLY WHEN NO ONE IS MAKING YOU OR TELLING YOU TO DO IT!   Because when it gets tough (and believe us, it will get hard!), your WHY is what will get you through those moments...it will help you remember that your goals and dreams are worth getting out the door for, adjusting your schedule, working around trips, communicating your desires to others (like parents and coaches), sacrificing late nights or media stuff...all because you have taken that first step to recognize your WHY!  It can be for many reasons (mileage goals, streaks, health, HARC, etc), but let it be something that matters to YOU!  If you don't, then these first few weeks will be ok and the excitement of the summer will wear off and you will start to get behind or frustrated and our human nature will get discouraged and next thing you know, you may not be running like you wanted to (WE TALK LIKE WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE!  😉)

So, especially as we start this week together (hopefully you read the announcements from the Team Text about me not being here this week), that YOU LOOK OUR FOR EACH OTHER, HELP EACH OTHER, ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER, so that all of your WHY's become strong and unbreakable!

Let's have a great week!  KIA KAHA!  Do the little things!