I am not ashamed to say I cried a few happy tears during today's run.
We're at Virginia Tech running camp this week. Brought 14 kids. Today's run was a difficult 6.5 mile run all uphill to Mountain Lake. Pretty steep. Some of my kids were worried about doing the whole 6.5 and considered taking the 2 or 4 mile option, but all but 2 rising 9th graders did the longest option.
I thought I ran well. Never stopped to walk. I ran the first 4 with 2 of my girls with 2 guys within yelling distance. Then Jessica & Mallary took off while I maintained my pace. The guys left too. Chelsea was up with the other guys- who knows how far ahead.
A mile from the top, Jess, Malz & Patrick were within sight and I got a little emotional... I felt great and was just so happy to be running. More than that, I was so happy 3 of my girls were beating me! ...and on a good day for me! Made me feel like I'm doing something right in coaching and made me think about how much these kids mean to me. I think our first guy was about :56- he wasn't sure. Our first girl was 1:03. 1:13 for me. The run was comfortably hard. Perfect really. Not hard enough to HAVE to walk but hard enough to WANT to after 2 minutes!
We're at Virginia Tech running camp this week. Brought 14 kids. Today's run was a difficult 6.5 mile run all uphill to Mountain Lake. Pretty steep. Some of my kids were worried about doing the whole 6.5 and considered taking the 2 or 4 mile option, but all but 2 rising 9th graders did the longest option.
I thought I ran well. Never stopped to walk. I ran the first 4 with 2 of my girls with 2 guys within yelling distance. Then Jessica & Mallary took off while I maintained my pace. The guys left too. Chelsea was up with the other guys- who knows how far ahead.
A mile from the top, Jess, Malz & Patrick were within sight and I got a little emotional... I felt great and was just so happy to be running. More than that, I was so happy 3 of my girls were beating me! ...and on a good day for me! Made me feel like I'm doing something right in coaching and made me think about how much these kids mean to me. I think our first guy was about :56- he wasn't sure. Our first girl was 1:03. 1:13 for me. The run was comfortably hard. Perfect really. Not hard enough to HAVE to walk but hard enough to WANT to after 2 minutes!
5 comments:
Coach, I have followed your blog since I stumbled across it looking for AT info. I appreciate your openness and honesty. I'm just a recreational runner but an avid hiker. Your relationship with these kids is touching and this entry made me tear up a little too. They are lucky to have someone so caring and dedicated.
Thanks, Carla. I feel lucky to have them.
My daughter is a rising freshman and is going to run cross country for the first time this fall. She's always played volleyball for school in the fall. Anyway, she is not doing real well conditioning wise. I wish she had a good coach like you to motivate her!
Aww, Lynne. So nice. I'm lucky to have some good, motivated kids to work with. They've gotten up to run at 8 AM all summer.
Where are you again? Ashe County?
I am in Henderson County. First meet is next Saturday (21st) up in Boone. We will see how the daughter does in her first competition. She will be running against other freshman so hopefully will do OK.
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