This book is about the University of Colorado's men's cross country team and a season the author spent with them. I have no idea if it will be interesting or not, but from the Forward (written by Adam Goucher who was on the team that season) and the Introduction, I'm thinking it will be.
The part that spoke to me was in the very first paragraph of the introduction. The coach, Mark Wetmore, was speaking to Adam Goucher who, according to the author appeared nervous before the 1998 NCAA Men's 10k National Championships for which he had worked hard (which I suspect may be an understatement as I read about this season in its entirety).
"You're fine, Adam. You're fine. Trust it, Adam. Trust your work."
Reading these words my eyes began to burn and I thought, Good grief! What is my deal?
I know what my deal is, however. Despite my best efforts not to care, not to over think, not to raise it to a place it does not belong, the upcoming marathon has become important to me. As far as my training, I wouldn't say it has been as grueling and intense as I considered my training for the St. Louis marathon last year to be, but what began as a lighthearted, experimental approach has become focused, filled with purpose and hope.
So I imagine myself at the start line. I picture myself starting what will be a smart, negative split-filled, personal record race. I check the weather daily. I go to bed early. I'm trying to give my body the nutrients it needs to remain strong and healthy and perform well on race day. I daydream about seeing Jason at the finish line and hearing him cheer for me as I run under an amazing clock time. And so now I'm in trouble. Because my heart is all in, once again.
And while I cannot compare my running to that of Adam Goucher and the UC cross country team, I can borrow the words of his coach from that time. I know I have worked hard. I know I have run well. I know I have met all of the training goals I have set for myself and I know I can do this. I've just got to remember to trust my work.
I was hoping for a new post today and you did not disappoint!! I have no doubt you will do wonderfully. You have worked so hard and like you said, don't worry about it and just trust what you have done.
ReplyDeleteI have that book on my Kindle and really enjoyed it. I think you will really like it. It's amazing how hard those guys worked!
I, too, have made this 1/2 important and this week have been a little scared b/c my old hip pain started creeping back in last week. I hope it allows me to run as fast as we ran our training run. I will just take it easy and ice ice ice!! Talk to you soon!!
Thank you, sweet friend!! Take care of that hip!! I think these things happen before a big race... Like our bodies are asking, "are you sure"? I get all kinds of weird aches and pains right before a race. It is so crazy. All I know to do is rest and stretch and hydrate and put the word on myself come race day. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, good! I was thinking, "Why does this have to start hurting the week before the race? I have been training since November!!" I'll do what you said...rest, stretch, ice, hydrate (and try to think POSITIVE!)
ReplyDeleteJust stay positive. (o:
ReplyDeleteI think you are more than trained for your goals, Jane! I wish you lots of good luck for your marathon on Saturday!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou've run all the miles to prepare yourself physically. All you need to do is to decide in your mind what your going to do , put doubt aside and do amazing things! Where the mind goes the body will follow.
ReplyDeleteThank you, my friends for the encouragement! I am excited and feeling ready! I am going to trust my training, set my mind to my goal and run! :)
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