Understand First, THEN be Understood

I'm the coach of Cross Country at Johnson University, and I take my job... pretty seriously, I guess.  It's important to me to push my runners as much as I can to help them achieve their goals.  In order for me to properly push them to the next level, I need to know more about them.  If you don't know where you are, how can you get to where you're going?  If I don't know where my athletes are, I might just hurt them by giving them too hard of a workout, and crush their spirit (which I am definitely afraid of doing, since I run 50-100 milers and they run 3-5).  They know that I'm a big runner, and fortunately, I believe they respect that and accept my leadership as their coach.  Therefore, I try to do the very best I can to get to know them as I start off their weeks of training.

First week of preseason went by without me because I was in Japan, but during that time, I wanted them to get to know themselves.  In the crazy amounts of running that they did, they learned a lot about themselves, and what they could do.  Finding out what they're capable was a big step.  Once I came, we started practice Monday, and kept on going til Saturday.  Getting miles in was important because the first thing I wanted them to understand was that the distance they were training for is not hard.  Once they understand that the distance isn't hard, then the next phase comes along, that they can improve drastically by training hard towards that goal.  Hard work pays off.  When we get to that place, then it's just a hop skip and a jump because what they started out with and what they're going to end with... is totally different.

But how to get them motivated and understand what I want out of them?

First I need to know what they want out of Cross Country.  For some, it's to beat last year's times, for others, it's to get in better shape.  Still others wants to do well against our opponents, and there's always the dream to become number one in the nation.  Understanding that there are various goals, my next step is then to encourage them and help them move forward toward their goals and achieve them.  In understanding them, it's easier for them to understand that my training methods are made in order to push them forward.  The mileage is made in order to create a strong foundation that they can build upon.  The strength workouts are to improve their minds as well as their body, to handle the hard hills and to remain strong.  The speed workouts are meant to help them persevere, to continue when things are tough, to get used to a faster pace.  The breaks, to remind them that whatever they do, make sure to take that time off to recover, because you grow the most during the time that you rest.

With that all being said, there's another important thing that I believe is important in coaching.  To understand thoroughly by training yourself and pushing yourself, so that you truly do understand what they are going through.  I know some coaches like to bark, but I'm a little different from them because I also enjoy pushing myself.  I hope to be an encouragement in this way also, to be able to show that hard work does indeed pay off.  Understanding each other is vital, especially in a mentoring relationship, where you have someone teaching someone else.  It is both my duty and pleasure to coach my team and I look forward to what each individual will bring to the team.

(Over the last few days, I've been running a little with the team, and some on my own.  Last three days are as follows, 2, 7, and 5.4 miles.  Next week I'll probably double my mileage because this week was a warm up week.)

Being Smart

Sometimes you have to make the right decisions, knowing it goes against your manliness.  Today was one of those days.  After the intenseness of floor hockey yesterday, there was another floor hockey game scheduled for today.  I was totally going to go... til I felt that my Achilles tendon wasn't doing so well.  I mean, it felt like it would crack if you bent it enough, you know, the healthy kind of crack where you feel good?  Well, I tried that but it didn't want to crack... and it started hurting a little more.  I knew that after having a major cramp right before going to bed, I might have needed some rest, but after waking up and feeling that pain, I knew I would have to make today a nonrunning day.

Doing the right thing could be the most simplest thing, or the most complex.  The thing is, either way, you make choices.  Now was it the best thing for me to sprint my heart out yesterday playing floor hockey?  Probably not... but it still was one heck of a speed/recovery drill.  Was it what I needed? Not exactly, but it was nice to run with people and push myself... and might have also gotten me another Cross Country runner.

Instead of leading 'the perfect runner life' I've decided that I've got more than just one thing on my plate, and out of everything I have before me, the select things I've decided upon should be my main focus.  In focusing on all of them, my goal is to become the best I can be in whatever I do, and whatever I do, I do it in order to better myself in all those ways.

There's more to life than running, like family and friends, and to keep that in my mind is very important because I've heard of stories where some people devoted their entire lives to running, and that tore up their lives.  We're definitely here to do more than just that.  There's a lot to living than the one passion.  Let's continue on that path, be smart, and work hard (and don't forget to have fun!)

Getting Back on My Feet

The 3 weeks of no running has really gotten to me, because I was still sore from yesterday's little run.  However, I needed to get back into my running.  I woke up this morning at about 3:40, and stayed awake the whole night, even though I tried to get back to sleep.  With that, I went to both my lecture classes, and afterwards went to Johnson University to coach the cross country team.

After jogging about a mile, I had the team run up a hill multiple times.  The problem with this hill was that there were two parts to it.  The first part was a short hill which leveled off pretty quickly, but the second part was a longer hill and it... took some time to get up.  The problem wasn't the length, but the leveling off from the first hill, because that messed up the pace.  As the runners went through all that, they learned how to run conservatively while running strong at the same time.  After they managed to reach the top of the hill, they would jog around for about 500m, and then go back down to the hill and walk the first hill, wait a little bit, and then go out again.

We repeated this drill quite a few times, pushing each runner to go on until they felt like they would hurt themselves if they went out again.  This also helped each runner understand themselves more and gave them the choice to push themselves even more or not with that understanding.

As for me, I only ran a few times, and left it at that because I didn't want to push myself too hard.  Afterwards, I did go to the gym and played floor hockey for about 2 hours.  Now THAT was a workout and speed work (unlike this morning's strength workout)

But here I am right now, tired, sore and very sleepy.... it was a good day today.

1 Month Later

It's been a month since I've posted on this, but it's been one very difficult month.  First of all, I had a family emergency which caused me to go to Japan for the last three weeks.  Because I was going to the hospital every day, I never had enough time to go out for a run, so for three weeks, I did nothing, and in three weeks, I gained almost 10 pounds.  Now in 3 weeks, a lot can happen... and when you don't run for that long and have the same appetite because previously you were running over 10 miles a day... you gain a little weight.  Also, unfortunately, because of my quick trip to Japan, I had to miss my Leadville race.  Sad, but I needed to do the right thing.

Now I just came back at 1:20am after being awake for over 24 hours (and then slept in the plane on and off for 3 hours), but I went to sleep at my friends house and woke up, went to school, went through a lab, and then afterwards went to Johnson University, and coached my first day of Cross Country.  During that time, I jogged a little over a mile and then ran 4 miles with the team as I helped them all with their form.  It was a harder 4 miles, but it wasn't one that would make me sore the next day.

Now that I've finished with my first day back and my first run in 3 weeks, I feel like it's time for me to get back in shape and train for another 100 miler.  I know there's one I'm interested in running in early January, and another 24 hour race 2 weeks after that... so I might do one or both of them.  For now though, I'll train for a 50 mile race in September.  Only have a month to train!  31 Day Transformation?  Sounds like a plan.  Lets do it.  (but take it easier because I've taken off for 3 weeks)

Day 30 (31 Day Transformation)

It seems as if I'm getting tired of running because I'm not out and about in the morning.  Rather, I'm staying in bed, being pretty tired, and not wanting to do anything... I need to kick that bad habit and run as soon as I get up!  One day at a time, so tomorrow, I plan on doing just that.  As for today, I ran twice, once by myself, and another with my friends up at Haw Ridge.  Running by myself, I didn't have to push too hard... but running with friends up at Haw Ridge... well let's just say that they push me hard up those hills because they tell me to run up as fast as I could ahead of them, and whenever I slow down... they yell at me to go faster, that it's good for me.  Although I do believe what they say, I just don't think they understand that this is my second run, so I'm not running on fresh legs... in fact, I only had a 45 minute break between my two runs.  Well, I still managed to survive and we hung out afterwards and then parted ways.

Here's what I did today:

7.42 miles in 1:04:01 (8:37 min/mile average)
6.54 hilly miles

Since we were starting and stopping all the time, I could never get a proper pace, but according to my friend's watch, we ran that many miles... and I'm totally cool with it.  Keeping this higher mileage thing up is really pushing me, but I'm definitely seeing a lot coming out of that.  Building a stronger body takes it's toll in the short run, but in the long run, I've gone a ways from where I was to where I'm at.  Tomorrow's my last day for the 31 Day Transformation!

Day 27-29 (31 Day Transformation)

Now that my roommate paid back the internet provider, I have internet once again and can post about what's been going on the last few days.  On the 27th, I only had a run in... because I was... doing stuff... okay... it was because I took a nap that lasted a little longer than expected.  On the 28th, I was going to go run outside... but by the time I got my lazy butt out the door, it was already late, so I went to the gym to get my miles in.  Finally, today, I was able to do both run and gym time.  It was a good day for me.

Here's what I did on the 27th:

13.19 miles in 1:52:45 (8:32 min/mile average, starting off at 9:24 min/mile and ending at 7:25 min/mile.  It was definitely a good run)

Here's what I did on the 28th:

21 pull ups
5.5 mile run
.5 mile walk
7 mile walk
50 push ups

Here's what I did today:

6 mile run (last 1.88 mile I did 14:19, an average of 7:37 min/mile)
20 pull ups
5 mile walk
1 hour of cycling

As of today, I'm close to averaging 10 miles a day for the month... but I would need to run close to 35 miles in the next two days if I want to get my average to that point.  We'll see what tomorrow is going to do to me... whether I'm too tired from today... or ready to go for another adventure.

Day 25-26 (31 Day Transformation)

Man... one thing after another... things just keep happening.  All I did yesterday... nothing, and when I came back home... I came back to a home without internet due to my roommate not paying the bills... which kind of sucked.  I mean, through the whole day, I had a lot of things to do.  I started the day working at the day camp, running around with kids for the whole day, ESPECIALLY when we had all 20+ kids chase after me with water guns for half an hour.  At about 2:30, I went over to the park, where I went out with the youth kids and went tubing... which totally worked my deltoids... could still feel it today... and played a couple games of sand volleyball, and then went over to young adults group... ending the day sleeping at about midnight.

As I didn't have internet and I fell asleep before I could type up stuff on my phone.  After I woke up... 9 hours later, I went over and ran with my friend, and then proceeded to go back home and sleep... but hey, if my body needs the rest, I'm going to give it rest.  Needing rest means that my body was recovering... having two intense weeks... meant that it was time for me to rest and recover.  Once I recover, I can go at it again... right before the race.

At this point, I think that the 31 Day Transformation was a little too short of a time period for me to change as I wanted to.  That doesn't mean that I didn't change, because I did change and transform.  I just probably need to plan things out for a 42 day plan instead of a 31 day plan.  Today is going to be another little break for me... but I feel like after this break, I'll be able to push myself a little more for the next week or so before I go to Leadville for my epic 100 mile adventure.

Here's what I did today:

4.9 miles in 44:36 (9:06 min/mile average)

There's no problem in 'failing' as long as you can learn, grow, and continue on.  There is no real defeat unless you stay down.  The moment you get back up, you can move forward and conquer even more.  I can't wait until I make time for a 42 Day Transformation.

However, this adventure still isn't over.  After learning, I'm going to continue forward and learn more as I go on and push myself as much as I can in these last 4 days.  We'll see what'll happen tomorrow.