Metro League Championships 2013

As you're all aware, this Thursday we are headed back to everyone's favorite course at Lower Woodland (what, is it just me? :P) for the Metro League Championships! Our annual pasta dinner will be held on Wednesday at Coach Greg's house (details are on the Facebook page). This week- and the next two weeks for those who qualify for Districts and beyond- mark the end of cross country season. The workouts are getting easier, the runs are getting shorter... I mean, when does a half mile warm-up qualify as practice? We're tapering, people. We're getting ready to run one of the biggest (if not THE biggest, for some) meet of the year. Not in size- there will only be 7 runners from each team in the League for the Varsity races- but in guts, effort and willpower.

All I can think is, "wow."

Guys, this has been a phenomenal year so far. Some of you started running just THIS SUMMER. You couldn't make it a mile without stopping and now you've completed 5k races on one of the most difficult courses in the entire STATE. That's awesome!! Those of you who had run before have also shown improvement, whether in your times, enthusiasm, or simply a better understanding of and respect for the sport. All season long, each and every one of you has proved, in some way or another, that you are capable of far more than you imagined. Maybe it was summer mileage, completing a race, finishing a long run, or simply showing up to practice. Whatever it was, you did it.  And now we're here, ready for the post-season. I'm confident. I hope you're all as excited and prepared for Metros as I am, because guys? We GOT this.

Some people ask us why we run. I've never, ever been able to answer that question. Maybe some of you have. I usually just mumble something random like, "uh... 'cause it's fun?" But if someone ever asks me why I run for my team, I know exactly what I'd say.

You guys are the most hard-working kids I know. We've got people showing up at 9 AM on Saturdays to go for a run before they've eaten breakfast because this matters to them. I can count at least three injured runners off the top of my head who have come to nearly every practice and meet... because this matters to them. The team matters to them. Why? In cross-country, we make sacrifices every day. We sacrifice comfort when we race to pursue a time, an achievement, self-satisfaction. We sacrifice lazy Saturday mornings or after-school activities to practice and get better. We sacrifice junk food while preparing for a meet so we have faith that we can perform well. Who better is going to understand these things than those who experience them with you every day? For the last four years, I have found no one I connect with better than my teammates. We've all seen each other at our very best- PRing in a meet, pushing the pace in a workout, or just being excited about a personal accomplishment. The thing that really makes us stronger, though, is that we've also all seen each other at our worst- muddy faces after slipping in the mud at Bellevue, crying after a bad race, vomiting on the finish line.... But we don't judge. We embrace the beauty of the guts that come with this sport. The fact that this year we have such a large, confident group of runners just proves it. Just yesterday we split into girls/guys teams for a little competition, and we had both teams cheering before the race, just like at a real meet. We are fierce, we are competitive, we are loyal, and we are strong.

I want you to gain two things from this post. First, I want you to know how much you all mean to me, and how much I'm sure you mean to one another. I've said this before and though it may sound like I'm gushing, I will say it again and again, because you guys have the power to change each other's lives. As a team, we are a hundred times better than on our own. Not to say that we aren't all great on our own! But hey, isn't a big group of great people better? So just keep that in mind when you race this week; your entire team will have your back and be cheering you on like there's no tomorrow.

Second, I want to make sure you walk off that yellow bus this Thursday with an unshakable confidence. Here's why you should...

You have worked every damn day for MONTHS to prepare for the post-season. You are rested, relaxed, and ready to fight.

You have nothing to lose by running your hardest. Pain is temporary. What is pain compared to the satisfaction of having a fantastic race for the end of your season? Push yourself. Remember, you always have more left than you think!

As my mom likes to say, "Beating the competition is relatively easy, but beating YOURSELF is a never-ending commitment."

I'll see you all on the starting line... smiling. Let's go, SEAHAWKS!

 :D