Child-Like Racing

 

I am just back from the Cross Country Coaches National Champs in Lexington, KY this weekend. We took at team of 15 runners aged 6-13, including my 8 year old son. The course was run on a horse cross country training grounds, so it was lumpy, bumpy and Kentucky hilly. It was my son's first experience racing from a starting box along with 200 runners. What a thrill for him! All the kids were there to do their best, and have a lot of fun. This race was their reward for all their hard work running this summer and fall.

 

Of course as soon as his race was over, he spent the rest of the afternoon tossing around a football with the other kids, then splashing in the hotel pool all evening. And those may be even better memories from this trip for him.

 

There are many lessons that we can learn from these kids:

• Sign up for some races/challenges that seem a little scary.  
• Get some training partners that make you laugh.
• Enjoy the people that you meet along your journey of training and racing.
• Train hard, race your heart out, cross the finish line, then move on and celebrate with everyone.
• Definitely get a cool sweatshirt to help you remember the fun weekend afterwards!

These kids had a great time. They didn't dwell on their times or place. They knew they did their best. And they definitely are very, very proud that they can race cross country at the national champs. My son stands a little taller after each one of these experiences.

 

As it turns out, these kids have a much more mature attitude about training and racing than many adults who unhappily stress over competition and perfection, often over-training and shunning family and spouses during the process. It might help all of us to train and race a little more like kids as we start the 2011 season.

 

This week is the beginning of the holiday season! Holidays are sometimes going to get in the way of training. Try not to stress. Your families are truly something to be thankful for this week. Don't worry if you don't get a swim in while you are traveling. Just do your best to do something every day. Even a 20 minute run will maintain your fitness. Don't despair if you only have time for a 20 minute run. Get out there, warm up for 5, run hard for 15, get showered and you maintained your fitness during a hectic week.

 

 Relax. Be thankful for your health and your ability to go after your racing goals. We are the lucky ones!
 

Chris