Banquet

Our banquet just finished and it was wonderful, as always. I have to say that this has been a long and wonderful journey. I need to thank all of those who have positively advanced the lives of this team. Without your efforts we would have never achieved the success we did. Thank you to my coaches, their families, the runners, their parents, and the Saegertown community for making this a very special season. I feel very blessed to be part of this. I believe that!

The End is Just the Beginning

The finish of the season is a great paradox to me. We work and work to get to the final race, the final day, and for some of us that is States. Then, in a blink the season is over. Good or bad on this one day, it's still all over.

Then I reflect on the time we've spent together. That first day in August and this last day in November is always a very short time. A blink. And it's over. But the beauty of things like this--things that repeat and have a journey involved--is that it is never really over. We start again and continue running and before we know it, August rolls around and we're ready.

I like that about this sport. We get a chance to move forward. Like running, this sport (and much of life) is about "what next." We must always keep in mind that the end result of the season, the last race, whether we've won or not, is not the point to this sport, just like it's not the point in life to just wait for that last day--the end of it all. It's the process, the journey, the getting there, that really means everything. We must believe that we are a better runner, a better person, a better citizen, because of the effort and the work, not the reward at the end.

Nate was behind the winner by thirty seconds. That's all. If it were me, I'd never allow thirty seconds to determine whether or not it all mattered. Whether or not it was a successful season. For sure, we all desire to do our best and for some of us that means to win. But success is not measured by first place finishes. It is measured by your attitude and effort and by the fact that when it's all said and done, I can look back and say, "My life is better because I ran this season," or even better yet, "I am a winner and thirty seconds is not going to define my season." I believe that.

States Week

What does this week mean? Does it define our season? If we perform well, have we achieved everything we had hoped for? I don't think so. The work, the perseverance, the ins and outs of practicing every day is the point to this sport. Having a good race or even a great race is a reward. We all desire those rewards. They are important. They do not define us, however.

On that note, I want to make it perfectly clear that we will do our best BECAUSE we are/will be ready for States. Our preparation has made our potential endless. We will achieve because of the process of getting ready for the end result. And that is doing our best. And probably reaching beyond our limits. I believe this.

Heading to States

Well, here we go again, as I say this with a smile. We are off to Hershey. Three have qualified. Nate with his second District X championship in a row, along with Hunter. Danielle for the Girls. A great day transpired. It is always a wonderful and a sad day on this day. I always hope for so much more because so many deserve it. I have been so blessed with wonderful young adults. I take this day with a grain of salt and smile and think about what could have been. That's the beauty of competition. Morgan and Tanner and Alexis all ran well. Others set personal bests today. It is a blessing to witness. And our two seniors' seasons ended today, and that is always something I think on for a long while.

My faith in our program and the love I feel for the runners, and the fortune I have always had to have the best coaches with me makes me very proud and extremely blessed. I do feel as if this is all about our family--the SHS XC team. It's not over yet. We still have work to do. And we will. And we will do well. I believe that. I believe.

Districts

I'm not sure how many of you will see this before tomorrow, but for those of you who do, nothing is set in stone for who is going to states, anything can happen tomorrow at districts as long as you show up ready to preform and ready to do your best, don't take running for granted cause it really sucks to not run and you don't realixe it until you can't run. so tomorrow run your hardest and leace it all on the course. As long as you do that no matter what the out come is, be proud of yourself, at the end of the race the only person you need to please is yourself.

As Districts approaches much weighs on my mind. Are we ready? Have we over-prepared? Have we done all we could to be the best on that one day? The answers to these questions are hidden in the depths of the spirits, the hearts, the souls, and the bodies of our cross country runners. I do not know the answers. Only each runner, as he or she places that foot on the white starting line, can answer that. It is inevitable that some will fail to achieve what they most desire on that given day. It is just as inevitable that some will succeed where they only saw a distant possibility. Success is measured by one test and one test only--did you do your best, beyond a reasonable doubt, and leave it all on the field?

Some will make it to States. Others will not. Regardless, we will compete at the level we are most ready to reach. Today, on this one day, we have the chance to create a moment in time. We can become that which will make us proud. We can run for those who cannot because of injury. We can run for our team. But most, we run for ourselves to make us into something that is greater than what we are when we step to the line.

Step to the line and run . . . then run faster. Just Believe!

Readying For Districts

Our team is readying itself for the upcoming post season. Our Region 3 Invitational is this Saturday and our District X Championships is the following Saturday. Our time is now. We are peaking at the right time; many of our runners are coming off personal best times in the last two races. We are ready to finish strong and show our true personality. We are a team. We are a family. We will succeed. Success is measured by perseverance, faith, and a firm commitment to reach beyond the possible. We are ready. Just Believe!