Week 13 Summer Miles

Week 13 Summer Miles 

We will Now be using the TEAM Blog!! Time to switch. The team blog address is located on the left hand side under the LINKS section at the bottom!!

Week 12 Summer Miles (PRD)

Week 12 Summer Miles (PRD)

What a GREAT first RACE for ALL of you. Those that ran at Crestwood Park and those that ran at Cottonwood Complex. For some of you it was the race that you wanted to have, others it was ok, and yet for some it was not the start that they envisioned. No matter the result, remember this is only the start of the season. TRUST the work, we know that it’s hard.  All the hard work that you have put in, It is difficult to know for sure, will it pay off? will it make a difference?

The answer? ABSOLUTELY YES!  The question for each one will be, when?  

In my running experiences and life, the effort I give and all the training I have pursued, didn't always SEEM to line up perfectly; it didn't always FEEL like it matched up with what I was aiming for.  BUT I ALWAYS CAME AWAY FROM ALL MY EXPERIENCES BETTER!  I tell you this because after our FIRST races this weekend, I feel that overall, many of us are wondering how this season might play out...all those miles, will they pay off, will they get me to my destination?  

We were very pleased with the efforts you ALL gave this weekend.  When we have told you to TRUST the WORK, those are not just words to make you feel better! We pay attention, we keep track, we watch, we see, so that our TRAINING will pay off!  

You need to remember it's not exactly how you start that's most important, but it’s how we FINISH! You need to recognize the STEPS needed to get there!  You need to take advantage of every MOMENT you have to keep getting better.  Remember to enjoy the PROCESS...the chance to keep getting better...as an individual, but especially TOGETHER!  Every new day is the opportunity to do something better, to improve, to feel the excitement of recognizing that TODAY is the chance to get closer to the "FINISH".  

We can't explain in exact words how it FEELS to LOVE what you do...it is one of those things that must be lived...tried...experienced...sought after...wanted...hoped for...and if we will just continue to LOVE the pursuit of our dreams, goals, beliefs, and the CHANCE to do something GREAT...

then something GREAT WILL HAPPEN! This whole running experience well…is it worth it? IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT...IT WILL PAY OFF...IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Don’t let your fears and insecurities stop you from becoming who you were meant to be. You are always stringer than you think you are.

See video below!

 

Why not you? Great video! Why not you? Why not this team? Why not this season? Why not now!!

See video below!

Week 12 Summer Miles (PRD)

 Week 12 Summer Miles (PRD)

BELIEVE! BELIEVE! BELIEVE!

Believe in YOURSELF!, Believe in the WORK you have DONE, Believe in the TIME you have DEDICATED!!

The season is upon us! TWO races, JV on Friday and Varsity on Saturday!!

TRUST THE PROCESS, TRUST THE WORK, TRUST THE TEAM, TRUST YOURSELF!

The only way...and I mean the ONLY WAY, to GREATNESS requires a price!  It is about the time we put in...it can be the attitude we MUST adjust and/or improve...it can be the daily drag of getting up for practice...it can be just getting to practice...it can be the extra miles, the 2 runs a day, the little things of hydrating, eating better, sleeping enough...on and on!  Those who are willing to BELIEVE in the "Big Picture"...I say BELIEVE, because sometimes we don't know exactly WHY we keep doing this, other than we FEEL and BELIEVE it is worth it...never let go of that feeling and TRUST that... 

Be the Uncommon Runner! See video below!!

A breed of a different sort

(WE ARE MURRAY)

 

I am a cross-country runner, a breed of a different sort. I’m proud to be a cross-country runner. I wear my splendid uniform throughout the world – a pair of shorts, no matter the style, a tee-shirt the DI or Salvation Army wouldn’t accept, socks that don’t match but do smell – but always, always, a good pair of shoes. My shoes are my trade. I wear my uniform proudly. I am a cross-country runner.

I am a veteran of golf courses, long winding hills. I am a mountain goat, a fast deer, the slower tortoise, the laughing hyena, the morning dove, the owl. I run the night when the world settles down to sleep, in the early morning dawn of morning as the world prepares to rise, at noon day when all the world is at work or at play. It matters not to me as I am a Cross-Country runner.

I am a sufferer. I have lived with pain. I’ve known the agony of defeat and the thrill of victory. I have won some that I should not have won and lost some that I should have won. I have nursed swollen limbs, rubbed aching muscles, ploughed ahead against the wishes of a tiring soul, I have learned to dictate to a negative brain that the race must continue. I have passed many a competitor and have been passed by many. I have heart, guts, and continue when all is lost. I have pride and when my soul cries, “Quit”, I push a litter harder. I have many friends when the race is favorable and many critics when it is lost. I am a Cross-Country runner.

I have records upon records, charts upon charts of my daily achievements (STRAVA), yet I plough ahead on uncharted courses. I have run the short, flat speed course of East Bay (Provo), the up and down hills of Cottonwood Complex (Premier, Region), the mountain trails of Park City, I have run in Big races (Murray invite and State, Sugarhouse Park),  I run the hardened pavement of the city streets. It matters not as I am a Cross-Country runner.

I am a survivor. I have been chased and bitten by dogs and by flies, stung by Bees, and nearly run over by motorists who don’t understand. I have been bruised and scarred by jumping over guard rails, falling off overpasses, and running into tress I just didn’t see. I have sprained ankles by stepping into places I shouldn’t have steeped or stepping on objects that had no reason to be there. But, I survive, I am a Cross-Country runner.

I have learned to endure, to pay the price, to stick it out to the very end; to live with pain, soreness, blisters, cramps, headaches, dry throat, and heavy feet. I have endured colds, flu, tendinitis, shin splints, hay fever, pulled muscles, and muscles that just wouldn’t pull. I have learned that success does not always come easy, and I survive. I am a Cross-Country runner.

Some say that I am a fool; some say I should have head examined; others just shake their heads and say, “No brain, no pain.” People march around me, very few with me. I am tough, cocky, tall, plump, small, and frail, talkative, quiet, from the rich to family, from the poor family. I am Black, White, Indian, Mexican, Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior. I am many things to different people. I am a Cross-Country runner.

I believe in me, in my teammates, and they believe in me. We are family. We are all Cross-Country runners, a breed of a different sort.

 We are Runners! Check out the Video’s below

Week 11 Summer Miles (PRD)

Week 11 Summer Miles (PRD)

Tradition

Tradition- the need for an anchor in a fast-running world. Check out the video below. 

Being a part of this program, I hope will be the beginning of an incredible tradition of family, support, dedication, success, team and individual accountability.

Every runner has unique traits, rituals, quirks, and passions. Here are 5 traits that successful runners all have in common.

PATIENCE- I’ve never known a runner who had as much patience as they needed, but any and all amounts of this precious quality are invaluable. We runners simply don’t get better fast enough to satisfy ourselves. Like the hare, we blast away from the starting line with visions of glory. We should be more tortoise like. For that is the path to success.

Every runner gets injured at some time (always the wrong time). Every runner catches a cold or flu just before a big race. Every runner has to deal with pressures, schoolwork, jobs. Life and many other concerns. When the frustrations and obstacles seem to great, every runner is tempted to quit.

This is when you most need patience. This is when you need to tell yourself that tomorrow or next week or next year is soon-enough. Distance running requires you to take the long view. It takes weeks and months, at least, to get in shape. Give yourself time. Don’t make hasty and unnecessary mistakes. Remember: You’re in it for the long run. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, pace yourself accordingly.  

  BALANCE-In running, as in life, moderation truly is the key. Running is great, particularly if you run often enough to keep you in good shape through all four seasons. If you’re having fun, you’ve probably achieved balance.  At times, you’ll have fun by pushing yourself to achieve the most you can do. At many other times, however, you’ll be satisfied by doing a little, not a lot, and keeping things in their proper perspective.  Figure out what balance looks life for you. 

STOTANISM- This is a word that not many people recognize. Stotan (or Stotanism) was coined by Percy Cerutty, the great Australian coach. Cerutty meant his new word to combine two others, stoic and spartan. Stotanism is about toughness.  The stotan must be willing to stand on his own, to resist pain, to stick to his ideals. A stotan is quietly self-sufficient. He accepts the challenges of training, injuries, races, and disappointments without complaining, because he understands that simply by keeping on, by sticking to the path he has chosen, he will get stronger and better.

RESPECT- You can’t go far in running without respect. First you have to respect the distance, which is often said about marathons but applies equality to all distance running. If you don’t understand the many ways running can challenge your body and mind, it can overwhelm you. Second, there’s the mutual respect all runners feel for each other. It doesn’t matter what your time is, it is the experience that matters, and the experience is the same for all of us. A true runner understands this.  

HUMILITY- This is one of the surest lessons that running inevitably teaches. No one escapes unscathed. If you run, you will eventually face a disastrous day. You’ll drop out of a race. You’ll finish last. You’ll finish first. You’ll trip and fall over a sidewalk crack. You’ll run into a parked car or pole, because you were distracted.

And these are some of the most commonplace things that will happen to you. Every runner invents more embarrassing ways to humiliate him or herself. Fortunately, humility is a positive force. It teaches us that even after a stumble, you can get up and start running again. If you’re lucky, maybe no one noticed. If they did, so what? Everyone stumbles at one time or another. It’s the human condition.

Nothing Ventured, nothing Gained.      

Traditions, whether big and public or small and private, they have a magical power. They give us strength and stability, while reconnecting us with the people and places we love.

Remember that we love each member of this team, we love that you are a part of it. We love this school (Murray). We love this sport (XC). And we love sharing, experiencing, and living these moments/memories with all of you!!!