The STANDARDS

 

 

Sometimes the "STANDARDS" we set for ourselves, for our Team, are very High!  AND IT SHOULD BE!  That is the beauty of what we are about!  It may feel difficult to recognize that RUNNING could have such a huge impact on WHO I CAN BECOME but if you will keep sticking it out, believe in your goals, keep coming (especially if you are new), Trust your Heart that the work you are doing will pay off...THEN YOU WILL LOOK BACK AND SEE THE TRANSFORMATION THAT HAS HAPPENED! (it's already happening)

We share this thought with you because after this last weekends race at Spanish Fork, it may seem like we are little behind of what we envisioned from all this work!  Looking at other Teams, and other runners and kind of comparing ourselves, it feels like we are not quite there.  And truthfully, you are correct...TEMPORARILY!  Only for the moment it is this way...WE ARE TELLING YOU THAT YOU WILL GET BETTER...YOU WILL FIGURE IT OUT...THE TRAINING IS SET UP IN A WAY THAT YOU WILL HAVE SUCCESS WITH TIME!   Of course the other good teams and runners will get better also, but we can't control what they do or don't do...we need to just keep Trusting what WE DO!

I don't share this next thought with you because I am pushing any thing on you...I share it because I have found that with High "STANDARDS" and Expectations, I try to relate it to things that matter a lot to me.  In my Spiritual aspect of life, I have high standards that sometimes seem difficult to manage every single day.  My expectations might seem far fetched or "weird" to others, but in my Heart I know that they make me a better person and so I keep giving and living the BEST I can and Trust that in the end, I have become better!  Well...it's not so different in our RUNNING!  

The "STANDARDS" we set absolutely determine what "HEIGHTS" WE CAN REACH...but it takes Time, a Belief, some Trust, Enjoying the Tough Stuff, tweaking the Attitude and Perspective, taking a Chance on YOU!    It wasn't that we had bad races or that we are not good enough...IT'S THAT YOU DON'T REALIZE THE REAL POWER INSIDE OF YOU YET!  We need to focus on keeping the "STANDARDS" that we have set and then HAVING FUN DOING THEM!  SMILING WHILE IN DISCOMFORT!  HELPING OTHERS EVEN WHEN WE ARE STRUGGLING!  TAKING A CHANCE A LITTLE MORE (especially in races), that we belong and that the work is worth it!

All we need to keep doing is what we are doing, but with a slightly improved mindset...a tweak of better attitude...enjoyment of doing hard stuff...knowing that YOU ARE CAPABLE...LOVE THE PROCESS of becoming better!  Sometimes that process has steps back, but will always lead you to HAPPINESS!  So this week, focus on doing just a little better!  Give just 1% more better attitude, or sleep, or effort, or consistency, or smiling, or hydrating, or keeping your "STANDARDS"!  That is what this Team is all about and you make this Team better!

This Video is one of my FAVORITES!

"I GOT THIS"...My Daily Dose Every Single Day!

 

 

I was at an event awhile ago, but I remember something really cool while I was there.  I witnessed this mom and her little 8 or 9 year old son, following her to their seats.  The boy looked very tired and worn out, and it was obvious why.  He had a bald head and sunken eyes due to a fight with cancer.  He looked so frail and yet so tough, so I couldn't help but watch this little boy as we waited for the event to start.  I noticed he would lean on his mom's arm every so often and pat her leg.  But one time, he simply sat forward and placed his head in his hands as he leaned forward, to rest his head.  I could see mom whisper and her lips asked if he was ok?  I could see the boys lips say that he was just tired. Then mom patted him gently and told him to lay down on her lap, 

and this is the part that just struck me...the little boy simply said, 

"I'm ok mom, I GOT THIS!"  

It made me realize that no matter the situation, the circumstances...we don't always get to choose WHAT we face, but we get to choose HOW we face situations.  That little boy inspired me to WANT to be better, to know that "I GOT THIS!"

I was asked, just recently, "HOW can we become better, Coach?  What do we need to do to really take the next step?"  At first, I wasn't exactly sure how to answer that directly...I mean, there are so many factors that can affect the PROCESS!  But you may already know how we like to respond to most questions, we like to keep things SIMPLE and definitely POSSIBLE!

WE NEED TO DECIDE, THAT IT IS WORTH DOING WHAT IT TAKES! 

Are we truly desirous to TRUST our Coaches, to communicate with our Coaches and each other, EVERY SINGLE DAY?...Are we reminding ourselves EVERY SINGLE DAY, what our beliefs are about running?...Are we telling ourselves what we will be EVERY SINGLE DAY?...Are we reading EVERY SINGLE DAY, what our goals are to ourselves so that we KNOW it's worth doing?...Are we training EVERY SINGLE DAY (even on Sunday, rest day!), to be exactly what we believe we are?...Are we taking care of ourselves, EVERY SINGLE DAY, by hydrating, eating, sleeping, thinking, talking, smiling, like the Champion we really want to be?...Are we being POSITIVE with our training EVERY SINGLE DAY?...Are we being courageous (overcoming doubt and fear with Love and Gratitude), EVERY SINGLE DAY?...Are we simply seeing the good in ourselves and each other, EVERY SINGLE DAY?!  We could go on and on...YOU can fill in whatever is necessary for You and your Team, if you need to, but EVERY SINGLE DAY is a GIFT!  It is a blessing and a privilege to pursue what we are pursuing, so remember...

YOU GOT THIS...We need a "DAILY DOSE" of all the things mentioned above...Every Single Day!

Train your Mind, your Heart, your Capacity to do the little things, EVERY SINGLE DAY...

and you will be amazed at what will happen!

I found this video on Kipchoge about what separates him from others (in case you don't know anything about Kipchoge, he holds the World Record for the Marathon.  I show this video not so you think you need to do what he does, but what does he do differently?  It's not about more, but about doing what he does better.    This may be geared towards the marathon, but can really be valuable in lots of other aspects...ENJOY!

Running is Romantic!

 Rather odd title don't you think?!  

Watch this video first before you read the short thought we have for the week!

How can you NOT feel like all that you are trying to do with your 
Running isn't amazing?

IT IS AMAZING!  I tweaked that video awhile ago, to fit one of our XC themes for a past year.  I don't know why I chose to watch this, this morning, but I couldn't help but feel the need to share this with you! 

When I watch this, it takes me back to all the years that I have been running!  It reminds me of WHY I LOVE DOING THIS!  It teaches me that I have gained so much over the years...

HOW has it done this?

It has taught me...given me...

How to push myself.

How to get up early...and enjoy it!

How to Enjoy the Tough moments...and even want more of them.

How to feel Peace in times of chaos

How to work through the struggles

How to see the GOOD in most things in life!

How to change my ATTITUDE and that my ATTITUDE changes everything else!

How to feel CONNECTED... to myself and to others around me.

How to LOVE where I am at and where I still want to be

How to treat others and truly help others! And in doing so, I get back so much more!

How to INSPIRE and be INSPIRED!

How to recognize that it's the LITTLE THINGS that make a difference.

How to sacrifice things in the moment for things that really matter later.

How to want more, but be happy with where I have come from...

How to BELIEVE even when it seems impossible!

How to SMILE in both the darkest moments and highest peaks!

How to Be EXCITED (truthfully), even when I'm nervous or unsure

How to be CONFIDENT because I CHOOSE to RUN and put in the time!

How to be ok with myself and realize what I am still BECOMING!

How to...(keep filling in the blanks!)

Running has truly TRANSFORMED ME for the Better!  

How is that NOT Romantic?

What Matters...ENJOY THE PROCESS!

 

You're Special!  That's the focus of the video down below (even though it is a hilarious spoof on the reality of being GREAT!...I thought we could use a good laugh while focusing on what really matters!).

But we wanted to just give you a quick reminder of WHAT MATTERS!  Why do all of this?  Why sacrifice?  Why go through the ups and downs, the heat, the cold, the RAIN?!  Because in the end, we realize that we NEEDED to LEARN what we really are about, what we are capable of becoming, what we are meant to be!  And you can't do that by being mediocre, or just getting by...WE NEED TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES, GET OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES, AND HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS (with realistic balance also!).   Can we go overboard? Of course, and that is why we try to use Running as a way to teach all of us how to push, have goals, and still see the good that we are doing!  And this will carry on into other things that really matter...life, home, school, beliefs, work, family, and on and on!  

What really matters is that we keep putting one foot in front of the other, help others along the way, believe there is still more to do, and see the good that you are doing!

Even though this video puts a funny twist of "What really Matters", it also helps to laugh at the things that sometimes over take our life and reminds us to keep pushing but also not be so serious all the time...ENJOY THE PROCESS!