I sit here at 4:00 a.m., my usual wake up time during XC season this year. I am on my 1st cup of coffee. I am reflecting this morning on the sacrifices made by everyone involved in our team this year and how far that has taken us. It is the morning of our District XC Championships. I think back to exactly 6 months ago, when the districts were realigned and we moved up to 5A. I wrote something down that scared the bejeebus out of me. It was the bio line on our official Twitter account (@Cedar_Creek_XC). I changed it to: Official Twitter of the future 26-5A Cross Country Champions - Cedar Creek High School Writing down my goals and making them public has always been a key indicator of how successful we would be. This one was scary. Cedar Creek is still new. We do not have established programs. No traditions. No winning streaks. Nothing to show us the way. Today everything changes. Today is the day we show everyone what is possible with a dream and a sheer desire to succeed. We will blaze a path for others to follow. We will create a legacy. Years from now, this is the team that will be discussed. The ones who showed everyone else that hard work and determination will get you far. No amount of luck, wishing, or hoping will get you there. "The only thing that will save you in Cross Country is the unbreakable determination to run harder, for longer, than everyone else." This is it. It is the dawn of a new era at Cedar Creek. Invariably, my athletes will hear the word "recommit" from me. In EVERY race, you will be tired and be saying to yourself, "Why am I doing this?" "I want my mommy" "I'm going to die." These thoughts are perfectly natural. How you deal with them will determine the outcome of your race. Sometimes these thoughts will enter your mind at the starting line, and sometimes further along the course. Make no doubt about it, every runner on the course is saying the same things to themselves.
This is where over the course of your training and racing, a runner is expected to recommit. Recommit to the race, the extreme pace, and your placing. Recommit to passing that one person in front of you. Recommit to pushing yourself beyond your preconceived limits. Recommit to your team. In a really tough race, I have had to recommit 20+ times. It happens. As long as each time you catch yourself just drifting along, you snap back into it and push yourself, you will set personal bests. You most likely won't have an easy race where you won't feel pushed. If it is easy, you are doing it wrong. Get into a mindset where you know the pain is coming and then welcome it in. Make it a sandwich. Get it a glass of ice tea. Make it comfortable because it isn't leaving any time soon. That invitation to pain is what will separate you from the pack. Most people go through life with a pain avoidance mentality. They remain average. If you want to achieve something great, keep going when all signs point to a yield or stop sign. Keep going when your body says "WTF?" (where's the finish?). Know your racing body. There is a fine line between insanity and recklessness. Race insane, not reckless. This will come with experience. You may have some implosions. This just means you are trying. Show me a person who has never failed, and I will show you a person who has never really tried anything. We have our District Championships tomorrow. This is where hard work, dedication, and destiny meet. It is the culmination of early morning practices, 8 mile long runs, and summer running that combine into a perfect storm. This will be our reward. Our time to shine. If we had any upper body strength, we would carry ourselves off the field. Let's recommit to all of this and reach our full potential. |
Coach Stephen MoralesHead Coach for the Cedar Creek High School Cross Country Team. The personal opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. Archives
October 2014
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