Going the Distance

Treble White, Bass Black and the Imago Dei ~ Reflections on Martin Luther King Day

2012-01-12T20:58:00.000-08:00

Last July while vacationing inWashington DC, I woke for an early morning run. The mid-week streets were notyet crammed with commuters, and the memorials on the mall were equally absentof pedestrians and sightseers.

My run wandered by monuments of the past... each standing as present testimonies to national greatness and tragedy. Imade a lap around the obelisk to Washington; over and around the tidal basinwhere Jefferson stood still beneath his immortal words that "all men arecreated equal". The four rooms ofFDR’s memorial were empty except the sound of rushing water. FDR sat in hischair and watched me go by, his carved countenance seeming to match the mood ofthe time in which he served.

Empty too were the steps that leadto Lincoln's great memorial. They were bathed in the gold of a rising sun. Iclimbed them slowly, selfishly enjoying the solitude and the calm before amid-summer DC day. Interestingly, my thoughts didn't go to the days of Lincoln,nor the year of 1863 when the Great Emancipator called for the freedom ofslaves and a renewed resolve to sustain the great American experiment.

No, instead, my thoughts weretriggered by the words etched into the granite steps midway to Lincoln'sshrine. On the spot where in 1963 Martin Luther King delivered his opus, the "IHave a Dream" speech, it’s title is chiseled into the granite, a permanentreminders of a grand moment in which the preacher called for a renewed resolveto carry out liberty and justice forall. For a moment, sweat dripping from my brow, I was transported back toanother time, a catalyst for the age in which I live

Martin Luther King's youth was spentin the oppressive heat of Southern Jim Crow. Raised by his preacher father andchallenged by his mother to never think of himself as less than anyone else,the theology of his later social activism, (not to mention his sermons) wascrystallized at the very steps of that Lincoln Memorial.

It was Easter Sunday of 1939. At theConstitution Hall, Washington DC's largest concert venue at the time, theDaughters of the American Revolution (DAR) were holding a concert. Barred fromperforming due to the color of her skin, Marion Anderson (widely renowned asthe nation's greatest contralto) was relegated to a "lesser" spot, inthe "auditorium under the sky" as Harold Ickes called it. She wouldhold stage on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before an audience of bothblacks and whites that numbered in the thousands. Offering a mix of operatic classics, shefinished her set with a hint of protest by singing "My Country Tis' of Thee." Standing in front of a Steinwaygrand, with the gaze of Lincoln off her shoulder, Anderson offered a subtle demurral. Lifted on the notes of a gifted voice sheswitched the words "of thee I sing", to "of thee we sing."

Had Lincoln been able to hear it, Iwonder if he would have smiled.

In the audience that day was a tenyear old boy, Martin Luther King Jr, who did hear it and may have grasped rightthen the power of the words that end the first stanza,

"From ev'ry mountainside, Let freedom ring!"

Well, five years later, young MartinKing gave one of his first recorded speeches titled "The Negro and theConstitution." He said, “She (Marion Anderson) sang as never before,with tears in her eyes. When the words of ‘America’ and ‘Nobody Knows deTrouble I Seen’ rang out over that great gathering, there was a hush on the seaof uplifted faces, black and white, and a new baptism of liberty, equality, andfraternity. That was a touching tribute, but Miss Anderson may not as yet spendthe night in any good hotel in America.”

24 years after that speech, in August of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wouldstand in the same spot that Miss Anderson did, and belt out on soaring rhetorica dream that one day America would "let freedom ring from everymountainside."

But from where does this freedomcome? What would give such a young preacher-man from the South, immersed in acultural context of state-sanctioned racism, the audacity to proclaim such adream?

The answer is found in the conceptof the Imago Dei, or "the image of God." It was a conceptdeeply rooted in not only King's thinking, but in the "AmericanDream" as well, as King reminded his audience at the start of his orationthat August day. It emanates too from Jefferson's preamble to the Declarationof Independence. It’s a understanding that states that every man, woman, child,no matter the race, is "endowed by our Creator with certain,unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit ofhappiness." Certain privileges -- rights -- come with being made inthe image of God. The Imago Dei.

In a sermon King once preached hesaid: "You see, the founding fathers were really influenced by theBible. The whole concept of the imago dei, as it is expressed in Latin, the"image of God" is the idea that all men have something within themthat God injected ... this gives him worth. There are no gradations in theimage of God, Every man from a treble white to a bass black is significant onGod's keyboard. ... One day we will learn that. We will know one day that Godmade us to live together as brothers and to respect the dignity and worth ofevery man."

While post-modern sensibilities andsome revisionists may recoil from the thought of King's Christianity or simplydismiss it as a minor irritant to the civic leader's greater secularimpact, there is no escaping the bedrock of Christian theology from which Kingpreached and moved America to action. King’s faith was woven into the fabric ofthe civil rights movement and is an integral part of what made the "I Havea Dream" address hit home. It resonates, because it connects with thedeepest longing of every human being: Justice.

In hisdream address, King ascended from the foundation of justice to the pinnacle ofbrotherhood. Equating the lack of justice to “quicksand” he warned America that“the whirlwinds of revolt will continueto shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” Then, in an echo of Christ’s Sermon onthe Mount, King quickly followed his admonition with the reminder that theoutcome of freedom demands a non-violent approach to justice. “In the process of gaining our rightfulplace, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.” The sunlight of justicefalls equally on white and black people. The Imago Dei is in all and justice must not be bought with the coin ofhatred and at the expense of brotherhood.

King’stheology stems from the Old Testament prophets. Timothy Keller has written a superb study on the practice of socialjustice and notes that the Hebrew term for “justice” is “Mishpat”. Used over 200 times in the Old Testament, its basicmeaning is to treat people equitably, especially the widow, the orphan, theimmigrant and the poor. (Zechariah 7) King, stating the obvious that blacks had received a raw deal from thepromises of the Declaration and the Constitution, warned America using thewords of one of those Old Testament prophets, that “we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters andrighteousness like a mighty stream.” (Amos 5:24)

Americawas a crooked place back then, thirsty for the waters of righteousness. Bent by racism, hatred and injustice, Americaneeded a modern day prophet to challenge Americans to “transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautifulsymphony of brotherhood”. Theprophet-preacher King quoted from Isaiah to proclaim his own vision forAmerica: “One day, every valley shall beexalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places shall bemade plain, and the crooked places shall be made straight and the glory of theLord will be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” (Isaiah 40) Thencame the obvious: If we are not allcreated in the Imago Dei, should wenot judge each other by the content of our character?

Near theend, his voice rising on the winds of inspiration, King proclaimed that “Fromthe mountain of despair would come a stone of hope,” and that one day all ofthose made in the Image of God, would be able to sing with new meaning “my country tis of thee, sweet land ofliberty of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride;from every mountain side, let freedom ring.”

In theaudience was Marion Anderson and I’m sure she must have smiled.

Last Julyon those very steps, in silence and alone, I was connected by understanding andplace with both the present and the past. I soaked it in, relishing my moment there on that historic spot. Intime, I descended and continued on my run, reflecting on the greats who hadpassed this way so long ago, people who in words that soared and actions thatroared changed the way we live.

Theirechoes reverberated in the quiet of the morning, and I couldn’t help but smile.

2010 Mammoth skit by King High cross country

2010-12-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

By far, the most hilarious and uniquely creative Mammoth skit we've ever had! Chris Miller's "Black Bear Grylls" was awesome!

NikeCrossNationals.com - Nike Cross Nationals Official Site - NXN

2010-12-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

NikeCrossNationals.com - Nike Cross Nationals Official Site - NXN

What it takes to be a Great Cross Country Runner

2010-12-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

Check out this video of the University of Colorado coach who talks about what it takes to be a great cross country runner.

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

Friday Before Finals ... Find a Way

2010-11-19T11:35:00.000-08:00

"If you really want something, you'll find a way. If you really don't, you'll find an excuse."

Tomorrow is the day. How bad do you want success tomorrow? Find a way.

Thursday Before Finals ... Flexibility

2010-11-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just gotta flex. Bend. Move. Adapt.

Game plans and strategies are good, but successful athletes always have a Plan B in place and go into any competition willing to flex. Rigidity is the death of accomplishment. Life throws you a curve, and you're not ready for it, you'll be swinging and missing or frozen in your tracks.

With an incoming storm, "the best-laid plans of mice and men" as it was once written are threatened to be washed out. We planned to run the traditional course. Our minds were wrapped around hills and dirt. But the clouds of heaven might make us move to flat and concrete.

Are you ready to be flexible? Are you ready to turn your mind off from "Plan A" and fully embrace "Plan B" as if that backup had been your primary all along?

Successful athletes will find a way to do that.

Wednesday before Finals ... "The Drive"

2010-11-17T13:04:00.000-08:00

I received a letter today from the Trupp family, which they gave me the permission to post. It says the following:

Dear cross country team, coaches and Coach Peters

Wow! We are so grateful for the time and generosity that you all have given to support our family. Rebecca is slowly recovering, although she still has daily headaches. She has therapy 4 days a week in Loma Linda. However, she works hard everyday and uses the drive she learned from cross country, track and DECA. Thank you again for all your support and prayers.

Fondly, The Trupp Family --

"Once a Wolf, Always a Wolf."

Neat letter, (Thanks Trupps!) and more so another reminder of what's important in life. While CIF Finals is a great and tremendous achievement for any high school cross country runner, it pales compared to life itself. We're grateful for the life that's been granted to Rebecca; even to all of us.

But the letter reminded me too what always inspired us about Rebecca, and what I hope will be a characteristic of your races on Saturday. The Drive. Rebecca was unceasing in her pursuit of improvement and excellence. She was, and is still, a driven person.

I want to encourage you to head into the CIF Finals determined to drive toward your goal. Drive into the hills. When it gets tough, when the pain mounts, drive through it. Don't give up. Don't surrender just because it's hard. Drive to the finish line.

Being driven in life can have it's drawbacks, but in my opinion, it is more often the path to success than it is the path to defeat.

Rebecca Trupp has shown us how its done. Let's show her we've been paying attention.

Tuesday before Finals ... Three needed blocks of the Pyramid

2010-11-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

We last talked about Wooden's Pyramid a couple of weeks ago now. Not wanting it's wisdom to disappear, we brought it back into the discussion today. Overlooking the pinnacle, "competitive greatness" as something that will be reserved for Saturday, I challenged each of you to revisit and think about three of the key blocks that support the peak, and more to the point, how you could implement what you've learned about yourself in those categories as you head into the race.

Mental Confidence. Are you ready? Are you ready to perform at a high level? Of course you are! You've trained. Go back and look at your miles for the season. Remind yourself of those break through races and workouts where you proved your fitness to yourself. Remind yourself of the sacrifices you've made to be good this year. All of those things, coupled with the realization that you qualified for this race should build your confidence.

Poise. This is such a hard thing for athletes your age to master, but we're not the kind of coaches to let athletes slide because you're sixteen. We expect you to show poise. Why? Because first of all, it's needed. You can't perform in big competitions without it. But also because poise is a byproduct of the work, the races and the preparation that has gone into this race. All 16 teams on the line Saturday are talented. All are fit. All are prepared and well coached. You don't get this far without that. So what will separate you from your opponents? What will allow King to excel? One thing. Poise.

Team Spirit. Sometimes team spirit is easy in August, and it's much tougher in November. Sometimes teams thrive on team spirit all season long, it never lags. Other teams never seem to get it. The whole season is a dirge. But often, by November, it's tough to maintain. Why? Cuz folks are tired. Folks are "used" to each other and we let our gaurd down. This is not the time to let that go. I challenge you to keep building bridges between yourself and your teammates. Guard your tongue. Find ways to build each other up. Find ways to stoke the fires of enthusiasm. When we race on Saturday, we have to race as much for each other as we do for a crown, a spot or a time.

Monday before Finals -- Opportunities

2010-11-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

With CIF Finals upon us this Saturday, I got thinking about how the race represents an opportunity or more. Certainly, on the sport's grandest stage, it's an opportunity to achieve excellence in cross country racing. The course, the weather, the fans, the competition, it'll all bring it out of you. It's an opportunity to put into practice what you've trained all year to do. It's an opportunity for some individuals and teams to qualify and move on to State.

Opportunity abounds.

One of the railroad millionaries of the 1800's was once asked by someone, "How'd you get so rich?" His answer was simple. "I seen my opportunities and I took 'em".

So simple, yet so true. I ask you, will you see the race this Saturday as an opportunity to succeed? Will you "take it?"

Going the Distance ... Nick Rini

2010-11-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

It's not hard to notice Nick Rini. His persona stands out from the crowd. He's the one adorned in a mane of somewhat unkempt hair, proverbial t-shirt and cutoffs; the threads from which hang like stalactites. Nick Rini is a simple guy ... he's got his style and it fits him. Pay no heed to fashionistas who surround him. Unpretentious to the core, he responds to the moniker "homeless boy" with a smile and a pleasant, "how ya doing?" Life seems to move in slow motion for Nick. He moves through time unhurried, content with the tune in his head -- probably a Led Zeppelin song -- and the friends he's surrounded himself with. He's an easy guy to like.

He's an easy guy to fall in love with when it comes to racing. That quiet demeanor in his day-to-day is a roaring lion between the start and finish lines. Watching him outside of the race, you'd swear it can't be the same guy ... but then you notice the hair, flowing off the back of his head like tongues of flame from a rocket. Tenacious, determined, competitive, he's as tough as the course, even tougher. Simply put, he's a guy you WANT wearing your uniform, as you know beyond a doubt that he'll give everything he has, every step of the race.

Cross country is the epitome of team sport. It takes all types to make the team and all types need to do what they do to bring success. What Nick has brought to the team of King High cross country has been a quiet form of leadership. He models the ethic of the runner. He preaches by practicing. He races without fear. He accepts with humility the occasional defeat, but more often than not, his style of racing has brought his team victory. Over the course of four years, he has improved tremendously. As a freshman, his marks were usually at the high end of 19:00 ... today that's slower than a threshold for him. This season, he's been consistently King's #3 man, a roll that unenviably could be lost in the shadows of the leaders and bypassed as folks strain to find the 5th scorer. Nick just may like it that way. Let me do my job, the glory can go to others...

The days of his wearing the King uniform will soon come to an end. In his gracious, gentle spirit, he'll hang it up and drape himself again with cut-offs and t-shirts emblazoned with bands of his liking. Having arrived quietly, we suspect he'll retreat from the sport in similar fashion. We're ok with that, as long as he knows of the tremendous impact he's had on our program and the lives around him. King High XC is better because at least once a week for the past four years, the long-haired wonder wore the red white and blue.

Wooden's Secret of Success - Competive Greatness

2010-11-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

Congratulations King Cross Country! For most, you have reached the end of the season and with that, we discuss the last secret to success- Competitive Greatness.

It is always a difficult time of year for many athletes. On some levels you are relieved that the daily grind is done, the long miles in the heat are over and the sore and tired legs are feeling refreshed and energized. I would assume for many, however, you are replaying the season in your head recognizing how quickly it all went by and wishing you had more time to improve or run a race over again to prove your hard work was worth it. Hopefully you don’t have any regrets, but if you do, use it as a learning tool and strive- really strive-to do more and be more next season.

No matter what, you have accomplished something. For each of you it is different. Perhaps finishing three miles is a huge triumph- perhaps breaking 20 minutes was a success- perhaps winning a race was a first. You know what you have done right and you know what you have done well. Enjoy that feeling and know that you deserve it.

What you have all been a part of is a team. You have had to achieve and sacrifice for the sake of a team. It is a unique honor to be part of something special and hopefully you would never let your team down. You want to be better for your team and you should absolutely refuse to let your team down. When we do things for a higher purpose, when we recognize we are willing and wanting to be more successful for the sake of others then we are working towards success. When we are truly EAGER to do things for a higher purpose, you are a success.

You will be a part of a team the rest of your life. Your family is a team, your community is a team, your workplace is a team, and your country is a team. There is a spirit in a team that is unshakable and when you commit yourself to it, you accept the responsibility of the human experience. You must give to receive and you must be at your best and prepared to be at your best even in times of uncertainty, sadness, and difficulty. You should always want to contribute to your teams in life. Think of the greatest relays of all time. The energy, the spirit of the crowd, the intensity, the unwillingness to let a teammate down- the athlete always seems to compete at his or her best.

Carry the spirit of the relay with you when you are faced with pain, when you want to give up, when you don’t think you can give any more. You can’t control the actions of others, but you can control your own. You must remain EAGER to do your best for the sake of the team.

Be great. Make each day your masterpiece. Have faith, have patience. It is not easy, it will not come to you. You must eagerly work to attain it. Your work will pay off. You might not know this now, but you will.

Wooden says that “true competitors know it’s EXHILIRATING to be involved in something that is very challenging. They don’t fear it. They seek it. Is it fun to do that which is ordinary, easy, simple, something anyone can do? Not at all.”

I challenge you tonight to go home and concentrate. Do not just show up tomorrow without direction and a plan. Focus on what you want and not on what you don’t want for your upcoming race. Create a personal statement and write about your goals. Write on what you want to dedicate to your team. Create something that will inspire you tomorrow and the rest of your life. If you have the courage, share it with someone else, you never know how your words can inspire others. OWN IT.
The Great Competitor

Beyond the winning and the goal, beyond the glory and the fame,

He feels the flame within his soul, born of the spirit of the game.

And where the barriers may wait, built up by the opposing Gods,

He finds a thrill in bucking fate and riding down the endless odds.

Where others wither in the fire or fall below some raw mishap,

Where others lag behind or tire and break beneath the handicap,

He finds a new and deeper thrill to take him on the uphill spin,

Because the test is greater still, and something he can revel in.

---Grantland Rice

Written by Leisha Clendenen

Going the Distance ... Daniel Balcazar

2010-11-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

I think Daniel is a mystery to most of his teammates, and sometimes is to his coaches. Quiet and reserved, always with a shy smile, he followed in the footsteps of his older sister Tatiana, a quality runner herself, and showed early on in his freshman year that he was destined to be a varsity runner. He still holds a top-5 time for freshman on the Mt. SAC course at a very impressive 17:19 and was close to earning a varsity spot that year, something few freshman boys ever dream of doing. His long stride combined with a fierce desire to compete led us to see great things in his future.

By his sophomore year, he had improved enough to cement his position on the varsity team and have a spot on the CIF team that ran during the raging wildfires of 2008 on a shortened Mt. SAC course. He improved his Mt. SAC Invite time to an impressive 16:45 and looked ready to have a breakout year in 2009. As coaches we had high expectations, but instead of a breakout junior year, it turned out to be a time of trials and questions.

He returned to the summer of his junior year out of shape and not ready for the summer camp in Mammoth, something that frustrated his coaches who wondered what had happened to the talented young runner. As coaches, we have come to expect that many runners will drop out of cross country between their sophomore and junior year after seeing that they are not destined ever to see a varsity race. But Daniel had already made it to the varsity level, so we were left wondering if he had lost the passion for running.

Despite missing Mammoth, Daniel eventually showed the talent made the varsity team, but his season was again curtailed when poor grades made him ineligible at the end of the season. Despite having the skills necessary for both running and being successful at school, Daniel seemed to have lost the industriousness and discipline needed to do either at a successful level. I am certain that this was a frustrating lesson for Daniel, who despite his quiet persona has always shown that he is a very competitive person. Still, we wondered if he would even return for his senior season. Too often we have seen many runners give up when faced with adversity instead of recommitting to the hard work that it takes to be successful.

To his credit, Daniel’s started by getting his grades back in order and up to a B average by the end of the semester, and he maintained those grades for the rest of the year. Certainly as coaches we always stress academics before athletics, but when he showed up this summer fit and ready to run, we were happy that he had made it through a difficult time and committed to having a great final season of cross country. As we ready for league finals and CIF to follow, Daniel has shown that he is ready for the challenge.

As John Wooden has said, adversity is often an asset. Though none of us openly choose to make poor decisions or seek out hard times, most of us will experience it at some point in our lives. Often, we have to look to our family, friends, coaches and teammates to support us along the often difficult paths that life leads us down and find strength from them to grow and learn from life’s hard times, and I am certain that Daniel would say the same. As coaches, we know that high school is just the beginning of a long path through life, and we wish Daniel well as he continues on.

Going the Distance ... Samantha Enriquez

2010-11-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

One of the first experiences that I remember with Samantha Enriquez was pulling her off the course at the Great American meet in Alabama because she was too injured to go any further. Tears of sadness of course followed, but not so much from the pain that Sam was experiencing, but the pain of what could be- what should be.
Sam was dubbed early on as a competitor. She was going to make her mark on our team early leading her coaches to believe she would be a freshman starting varsity. What became obvious as her freshman season and each season progressed after was that running for Sam was not going to be marked with the varsity experience we had hoped. Instead, it was going to be marked with enduring pain plagued with injuries and frustrations over what she should be achieving.

The battles and adversities a cross country runner faces are present even when there is no injury to report. The searing heat of August , September and October never make the sport all too appealing to most. The effort it takes to train for three miles is what some would assume is more like training for a marathon. The long hours, early mornings and Saturday meets would be sure to knock anyone down who is constantly working through injury and illness.

But not Sam.

Through it all, Sam remains steadfast in her efforts to improve, to run faster- heck, just to finish a season healthy is considered a success. In her senior year her personality has shown that it is the smiles she provides for others, her willingness to improve and her desire to remain a part of a team that makes her a true success story in our program.

Going the Distance ... Kasey Tippets

2010-10-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you follow a successful older sibling? That's the dilemma a lot of kids have to face their whole lives, putting up with comments from teachers like, "oh, you're so-and-so's sister" or "your brother was a great athlete" or "why can't you be more like your sister?" Ok, maybe the last question doesn't get voiced very often, but I think you get my drift. Being the next in line isn't always what it may seem.

Kasey Tippets had the task of following in Kelsi's footsteps, and despite Kelsi's diminutive size, she left big prints. Her cross country career was one that littered the record books. For many, following such an example would cause them to find an even darker shadow to hide in, not wanting to be compared. For others, the best option is to go competely the opposite -- where "big brother" found success, "little brother" finds rebellion or apathy.

Kasey found the middle road and has smiled the whole way through. She was never driven to match her big sister's athletic accomplishments ... being a contributing member of the pack was more to her liking than leading the pack. Kasey has cheerfully divided her time between running and soccer. Her marks have been good enough to earn her a varsity letter each of the previous three seasons. Through it all, she's kept her sense of humor, never taking herself too seriously, always one to quickly crack a joke or play a prank. We could always count on Kasey keeping things light and loose. Whether it was at the race course or colliding with fire hydrants and tripping over cracks in the sidewalks in practice, laughter accompanied her almost every mile of the way.

Kasey will graduate having gone all four years, just like her big sis'. But that's where the comparison ends. She never tried to mimic or match her big sister, she just cheerfully went her own direction, making the path uniquely and successfully hers.

Given the option many of the younger siblings in sports take, this one wasn't bad.

Homecoming, 2010

2010-10-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

Two of King XC's own, Carrie Soholt and Lane Werley were selected to be part of the 2010 Homecoming court! It was a fun night, Carrie was crowned "Princess". Here are are few images from the night.

Going the Distance ... Rafael "Rafi" Perez

2010-10-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

No one calls him Rafael, nor do I remember anyone calling him anything other than “Rafi.” Since his freshman year he has always shown a commitment to pushing himself as hard and as far as he can possibly achieve.

If King Cross Country has one member that embodies the soul and spirit of everything we try to teach as coaches, it is easy to point out Rafi. Even before this year when we as coaches decided to use the words and wisdom of John Wooden as to inspire our team, Rafi led by example. He clearly sees himself as a teacher, always encouraging others to forgo negativity and do their best. He himself admits that he smiles even when he is sad or depressed as he feels it is his purpose on earth to inspire others, to shine a light in a world that often only sees the negative, and to live life with integrity. At a race or in practice, Rafi is always positive, always pushing himself and other team members to have confidence in themselves.

Integrity is not just a word to Rafi, but a way of living out his faith and serving others. As his senior year comes to an end, it is clear that he his contribution to the team is more than just being a good runner. He has poured out his spirit for the team and shown a determination to be a leader. As he finishes the race next week, he can say that he has kept the faith and has earned the admiration of his team.

Wooden's Secret of Success - Confidence

2010-10-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

It’s interesting how we use this word so indispensably when we speak of competing. We tend to just easily throw out the expression, “Just be confident in yourself.” Like with poise, confidence cannot be forced into our lives. It is something we must learn and earn naturally- through experience. We also cannot have confidence if the rest of our blocks are not put into place. Without the building blocks of Wooden's Pyramid of Success, it is impossible to be confident in ourselves if we aren’t confident with our teammates. Our teammates cannot show confidence if they don’t trust themselves.

Confidence seems to be obtained through preparation. By preparing ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally and trusting ourselves and our teammates, we can achieve confidence. It’s not an action; it’s a state of being. It’s natural and it’s simple when all else is put into place.

Similar to poise, you can almost sense when someone is confident. They have a strong presence, they are clear in their choice of words; their focus is intent on achieving success. Often we can mistake confidence for selfish or egotistical behavior. This is not really the case. You are not egotistical by showing you are confident and by feeling important. It is when you think you are too important and too indispensible to the rest of the team where arrogance comes into play. Arrogance is a weakness and Wooden would not tolerate it and neither do we.

It is also often true that we are confident in some situations but not in others. To achieve confidence as part of our natural existence, we must be able to remove all insecurities and develop a sense of faith and trust in ourselves and others in all situations.
How can we work on this?

The “Personal Victory Exercise”, of course! In times of shaken confidence and negative emotions, we must go back to this practice to create the emotions that bring about the most positive, uplifting times of our lives!

Step 1

Write a brief description of five to ten of your greatest personal victories- experiences when you felt you were at your very best. Beside each description list three or four emotionally charged words that best express your feelings about personal victory.

Step 2

Create your own personal victory “anchor” ritual. Make a unique visual, auditory, and kinesthetic movement. Like smiling and rubbing your hands together and saying, “Now” or “Yes!” or the sun is shining, and you say “Go”.

Step 3

Go back to each personal victory description and visualize the event as if it were happening right now. Feel the same emotions, breathe the same, and adopt the same physiology. Fully associate the experience! When you feel your emotions surge, fire your personal victory anchor. Repeat it.

Step 4

Meet with a friend and share your personal victories with this person. Before you begin, show your personal victory anchor. When your friend sees you becoming fully associated to your personal victories, he or she can help you get back to it or remind you of what you are capable of when you are full of self-doubt later.

Step 5

Try firing your personal victory anchor when you’re in a neutral state of mind and notice the emotional impact.

Step 6

Add at least one personal victory to your list each day for thirty days! Use this and your anchor to buoy your confidence in situations where you previously doubted yourself.

Coach Wooden believed we cannot rely on “emotional peaks” in our life to help us achieve confidence. We must remain calm in our efforts to achieve greatness. We must always be willing to improve. We must always show effort (not perfection) to work toward consistent confidence.

Wooden was unwavering in what he knew to be right. A quiet confidence with unshakable faith in knowing what you are doing is right and good while remaining humble makes us a success.

Written by Leisha Clendenen

Going the Distance ... Ben Huscher

2010-10-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Doing any sport for four years at the high school level is an accomplishment, but doing four years of cross country is a challenge that requires that rare gift of self control and discipline. Every runner has doubts at the line as to how the race will finish. Can I make it to the end, or will I give up?

Ben Huscher had a head start: his older brother ran for King, and so he joined the team in 2007 as a wide-eyed rookie. Even with that head start, Ben will be the first to admit that he was not very fast his first year, nor very committed to running. His first year ended mid-year with an injury having never run under 21 minutes. His sophomore year he showed tremendous improvement, improving almost four minutes, but at times he lacked self control and let his emotions get the better of him. As Coach John Wooden has written, emotions are the enemy when it comes to learning the lessons of leadership.

But just when you might have thought that Ben wouldn’t return his junior year, he showed up and slowly started to commit to the sport. By the time he reached this senior year it was hard not to see that Ben had learned many of those lessons and was climbing the ladder of success as a runner. He showed a poise and loyalty to the team that just two years earlier seemed unlikely, and he had spent a hard summer preparing himself to be a varsity level runner.

And something else emerged from that often emotional young man: a smile. In the end, all coaches ever really want from their athletes is that they finish as a better person than when they first started the race. Ben has certainly done that, and King Cross Country is better as a result.

Going the Distance ... Aubrey Bowman

2010-10-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

One of the things cross country runners learn early on in their careers, is that pain and suffering are the unavoidable yet difficult paths to success. While most people can run, few can run past or through the pain, maintaining a pace despite discomfort. While some are repelled by that realization and live the rest of their life avoiding running, some come to find the joy in that journey and achieve a success that only running can offer.

Such is true in life, too. Though we Americans do and invent everything we can to avoid suffering and discomfort at all cost, the masking tape we apply to life cracks in time and reveals in it's dusty residue the original truth that some of the greatest lessons in life are learned the hard way. Easy street isn't necessarily the quickest route to growth.

Aubrey Bowman knows of which I write ... or at least I think she does. She's in the midst of a season of suffering, bent like a tree in a hurricane. The force of injury pushes and howls. The roots of her resolve dig deeply straining to hold the soil of what she knows. Having competed at State just a year ago, she now watches her teammates from the sidelines; a fissured bone shackles her there.

And yet, like a professor who revisits the lessons of kindergarten, Aubrey seems to be reclaiming anew what she learned so long ago. Like a runner who first discovers that pain need not be a barrier, she is pressing on through this wall, seeking ways to contribute, to maintain the pace of life, to keep on keepin' on regardless of how it feels. In a sea of despair, she's found a way to set sail.

In the end, most runners come to find that the place one finishes is not nearly as important as the finishing. The journey ... through the exhiliration and the struggle ... is what matters most. Quickly, the grimace reverses to a grin. Aubrey realized early in her running -- and she is realizing again -- that pain need not steal her joy; that affliction can be eclipsed by a greater glory, and that one can contribute to the goodness of community regardless of their circumstances.

Going the Distance ... Lane Werley

2010-10-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

We never saw this coming. This, meaning, Lane's status as one of the best runners in the country. While many of Lane's achievements are the stuff of legend, the signposts leading to such status were deeply hidden in the weeds back when Lane first laced on his running shoes.

As a basketball and baseball player, Lane's cross country intentions as a freshman were to get in shape for his main loves. He had a good 9th grade season, good enough to get a little attention as someone who might have a future in the sport. He ended up not going out for basketball, but did play frosh baseball that year, skipping a first go at track.

As a sophomore he had quietly become King's number one runner and started running times (like breaking the school record) that perhaps indicated some good things were in store should he pursue his talent. Earlier estimations of just a "decent" running career were in the process of being discredited.

It was during his junior year that Lane would rocket from "good" to, well, "incredible." What a year he had ... it had the makings of a Hollywood tale, full of drama, surprise and achievement. He went from a kid who couldn't make it out of League Finals in track as a soph, to a junior who couldn't be kept out of State ... or Nike Nationals. He missiled the year, a tower of flame lighting up the sky. It was a deafening year that ended with an All-American title in the 5000 meters.

And yet, he has remained grounded. What so many folks who know Lane will attest to, despite his stratospheric orbit (Currently ranked in the top 10 nationally and in the top 3 in California), he has not let the acclaim and high-accomplishment go to his head. He eschews attention like a bat does light. He has remained steadfastly "just one of the guys". With college coaches courting him aggressively, he has not flashed his recruiting badges like some cheap watch peddler in a trench coat. Instead, he's redoubled his efforts in the classroom; prepping for the academic load that's to come with the athletic grant. As his circle of friends has now grown to include the State's elite, he remains the consumate team player, equally motivated to see his buddies in the King jersey do just as well.

In an age of athletic self-promotion, where superstars usurp ESPN just to let the world know which team will now be paying them millions for shooting baskets; where touchdown celebrations cross the line of sportsmanship and "team spirit" is destroyed 140 twittered characters at a time, Lane has blessed us all with a grace and grit, persistence and poise, greatness and goodness. Flying high, he's still tethered to home. Of all his accomplishments, this may be his greatest legacy.

Though we never saw this coming, we could not have asked for more.

Going the Distance ... Carrie Soholt

2010-10-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

Which would you rather have? The mountain top or the valley? For many in life, we spend our time climbing mountains, looking for that proverbial "high", the experience that comes to only the few. Valleys are filled with shadows, and the famous 23rd Psalm describes them in the same sentence as death. Who'd want to dwell in the lowlands when the view from the top is so much grander?

Carrie Soholt knows of both habitations, but what makes her experience in four years of running interesting is that her story began on the mountain top. Like only a few before her, she literally burst on the distance running scene. She was varsity right out of the gate.

Though her frosh season was interrupted by four broken toes, (You read that right, it's 4, as in almost all five on the same foot!) she still managed to finish her season with dignity at CIF Finals. She then headed into track and proceeded to set the school record in the 800 meters. She backed that up with a school record the next Fall in XC as a sophomore. But three days after that peak, a storm front of injuries rolled in and clouded the view from the top.

The hobbling seemed to never end. It was one, then another. Time ticked by and before she knew it, her mountain had melted into a valley.

What makes Carrie a remarkable young woman though is how she handled the shadows, the darkness that seemed to envelope her running. It was there in the shadowlands that she learned to appreciate anew her gift of running. She is quick to admit that going from the leader to one of the pack has taught her humility and grace. She has discovered the ironic truth that fruit grows in valleys, not on mountaintops. The fruit ripening in her life has been a greater love, joy and peace; she's grown patience by the bushel. To those enduring the famines of injury, the harvest of her kindness toward them is bountiful. It's an empathy born in her own hardships. Goodness, mercy and self control tattoo her life. Through it all, she's remained faithful.

Even more remarkable is that she refused to allow the river of frustration to change her character with the eroding force of bitterness. She has remained so steadfastly positive and joyful despite the difficulties that one can only marvel at the depth of her integrity. An act of true generosity and sportsmanship she showed last track season was captured in the Press Enterprise as well as by CIF. And while the public marveled at her "random act of kindness" those of us who know her saw nothng "random" about it, that was "Carrie being Carrie."

While Carrie still aspires to ascend back to the mountaintop, she's now a seasoned runner and human being who has not allowed the altitude changes that come with living to rob her of her joy, her spirit, her generosity or her drive. She presses on, cheerful in the climb, persistant and undeterred.

Could there be any better thing to say about a young person?

Wooden's Secret of Success - Poise

2010-10-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

To reiterate, it took Wooden close to 15 years to create his Pyramid of Success. Because of this it is necessary to remember that each secret takes time to preview, process, practice and push forward.

As we near the apex of the Pyramid, we come to realize that the second to last tier is so hard to accomplish in all aspects of our lives. That, perhaps, is a good thing. If it were easy to achieve “Poise” and “Confidence” the pyramid might not even exist- we would seemingly achieve success without much effort.

When I think of people with Poise, I always think of someone who walks tall, has presence and knows what they want to accomplish. You can see it in his eyes. On the flip side, it is easy to recognize someone without it. There is a lack of discipline, work ethic and a constant look of concern, worry, or question.

Wooden believes that poise comes as a “natural result of the personal qualities that we put in place below (the blocks below).” His definition is simple: be yourself.

However, I think it needs to be clarified. Often times we accept negative or bad behavior as “just being you”. It’s similar to when we hear people justify their actions that produce negative outcomes as “hey, I’m just being me. If you don’t like it, leave.” But to be successful we need to understand that a negative outcome and deliberately trying to be negative, is not just being you, it is disastrous for our world, community, school and team. We should not accept negative behavior because it perpetuates the many wounds that so many people have worked hard to heal. In other words, if you hear a person put down a particular group or make degrading remarks to others, do you accept it as “just being themselves” or do you stand up to the negative, not letting it perpetuate?

Another way I look at poise is really asking yourself what your vision is? What are you trying to achieve? What do you focus on when in times of pressure? It goes back to all of our discussions from the past. If you constantly talk about “the negative” it will find you. It will haunt you. It will ring in your ears in times of stress. Showing poise means you are more worried about what you can DO for your team, your friends, your family, rather than what they can do for you. This holds true in all aspects of life. Relationships, friendships, partnerships can not survive if you put yourself first. You must ask yourself what you can do for the other person rather than what they do for you. You aren’t worried about always being right. You learn to be comfortable with yourself and be at ease in any situation not matter how difficult.

Poise shows that you can stand up for what is right while you know that your convictions, values, beliefs and qualities are what is best for team and yourself. You are working toward the ultimate goal of being the best that you can be. Poise is not something you pursue; it is something that you embody each and every day. You or others may see you as a leader, but you aren’t a leader if you don’t have poise: you don’t trust yourself. You don’t worry about controlling others- your actions and words are inspiring. At the same time, you learn confidence. You learn that through your natural actions and beliefs, you do not need approval from others. By not needing approval or worrying about other people’s expectations, you remove yourself away from fear controlling your life. When you remove yourself from fear, you achieve confidence, the next secret to success.

To be clear, each box is specifically placed. Look at the entire left side of the pyramid. See how they are all connected. What sort of pattern do you recognize? How are they building blocks on each other?

Please email me (leishaclendenen@yahoo.com) your thoughts on this next block. It is so important to talk about it and share.

For all of you who willingly (without being forced to in Coach Peters’ classroom) wrote to me regarding team spirit, I was honored to respond to you. For the rest of you, you aren’t there yet.

You can not achieve poise without team spirit.

Written by Leisha Clendenen

Wooden's Secret of Success - Team Spirit

2010-10-11T14:12:00.001-07:00

This week we asked the athletes to write what they do to contribute to "Team Spirit" one of the top blocks of Wooden's Pyramide of Success. Here is what many wrote

"This season I haven't contributed very much team spirit, but I've noticed that Carrie Soholt always cheers everyone on to do their best, even if she's not feeling good, and I want to be like Carrie."

I contrubute team sprirt to our team by, encouraging people on our hard days, they arent easy and sometimes a little "keep going" will make someone finsh a workout!:)

Taylar Amiot
With ones ability to encourage one another, can lead to overall success for each and everyone. -- Kaelyn Manning

When other races are going on I try to go around the course and cheer our team on, right now I am working on taking initiative and trying to do things without having to be asked first around our tents. -- Ryan Gibeault

I contribute to the team by leading by example.. Chris Miller

“As being one of the leaders of the team, I try to radiate a positive mindset without coming off as being prideful. My hope is to make everyone work harder, run faster, and help newcomers to the team feel like they are apart of this wonderful team and family of KXC. That is my team spirit." Lane Werley

I can show my team spirit by just talking to everyone else on the team and genuinely asking them how their practices, races, the season, and injuries are going for them and by being supportive and encouraging in both their accomplishments and trials. --Claire Bradford

To increase team spirit, I always try to cheer for and encourage all my teammates at races. --Kimberli Graham

"Most teams don't do the whole 'team bonding' thing. They only know each other during practice/game/match/meet. Our team goes the extra mile, literally and figuratively, to befriend our teammates. Spaghetti dinner shows how we genuinely care about one another and bond as friends. Plus, we runners never miss a good meal." -- Joey Tompkins

"One of the ways I show team spirit is by cheering for my team mates to do their best." - lauren soholt

"Every day, i go to practice with a positive outlook and excitement, for i know that I am contributing to something bigger than me. I'm contributing to a team." -Ryan Rasmussen

Team Spirit is letting your teammate borrow your watch when your not using it, it's showing up to practice and recording times for a hard-workout when you can't run and you could be at home in the air-conditioning! Team spirit is bringing noise-makers to races and taking your teammates' sweats at the starting line before their race . . . . . Emma

“I have made team spirit happen by telling some of the cross-country runners they did a good job on their workout and that they are improving.”-Mireya Ascencio

I help contribute to team spirit by cheering my teammates on at the races. Aubrey Kent

I try to outwardly display the lessons I've learned over my 4 years of running, consistency, positive attitude, diligence, the importance of team work and listening to the coaches. Members of any team need to know whats expected/ desired of them and I find that the best way to help my team mates is to be an example myself. – Chris Miller

You are always cheering for me so I will always cheer for you!- Jessie
I show team spirit by always having a positive attitude no matter what - Cayla Kim
My team spirit is through friendships. Im always willing to halp out a teammate with whatever they may need.- Courtney Girard

With the inspiration part i wish i could talk to more than just one person and a whole group about things but the truth is everyone is different so i try to help one at a time. When I'm walking with someone when we are at a meet and they happen to say a negative comment about their racing i always talk to them by telling them you can run as fast as you think you can and elaborate on that telling them that if they want to go sub 17 and they are running a 17 30 i always tell them that they work to hard to come off short. i often try to give them a strategy on how to tackle the race, when they tell me "I'm not going to be top JV or Varsity or make it to Mammoth or make it to Clovis because him/her is in front of me" i tell them well if your complaining about going obviously you wish you could go and then i tell them well stop wishing and beat them work harder than them do something where your no longer moping but achieving something you worked for. every time i talk to someone on the team i always bring up a poem by Marianne Williamson and here it is:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear in that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World.

There is nothing enlightening about shrinking

so that other people won’t feel unsure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.

As we let our own Light shine,

we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,

our presence automatically liberates others."
I always base it off of that poem because it is absolutely true.I like to see the word integrity as acting the same way when everybody is watching and when nobody is around also as to be the same with everyone. I'm still working on being a better model for integrity but it is contagious to others when they see me pick up trash that isn't mine. Today actually someone drop three dollars in the lunch line and i walked up and told him he dropped his money before anyone could steal it. sure i didn't know the guy but i would do the same for a friend why not a stranger. I really feel bad when i miss my chance to show my integrity but from what i am taught being guilty is good because it helps you correct the mistake later. just like my inspirational talks with individuals ill do it with anybody if they are willing to listen and come to me or just be around me and i catch a chance to. I do make a lot of sacrifices for my teammates i always try to help someone on our team while i am busy whether it be something as small as a ride way out of my way or for favors on school help or paying for lunch even though I'm very short on cash ( I don't know why i tell them not to pay me back and yet they still do).

Finally the smile a lot of people don't really catch me not smiling and its true i smile even when I'm really sad over something only because i see their is no use in having a frown over something sad because it doesn't fix anything it only brings people down around us but its the same with a smile its contagious when one smiles the other can help but to at least smirk. Even when i am the butt of every joke it doesn't really matter to me but ill still smile even if it doesn't happen to hurt a bit but that's rarely its really hard to get me too feel sad over a joke or what someone says. Some say its a sacrifice to smile even when I'm sad but it really isn't in my point of view because i see frowns as something that are face muscles shouldn't allow. All i know God put me on this Earth for a purpose and i think its to inspire and make people happy it took me years of Catholic classes but i figured it out and im inspiring kids in my church by telling them my 180 of a turn around in my faith and i inspire those on my team but letting them know what they can achieve and how it is limitless. but finally keeping a smile to let those around me know that if i can shine my light so can they. thats all i got to say about that. I'm glad you had us write you something on what we contribute. –Rafi Perez

"I seek out the opportunity to motivate or encourage others instead of sitting back and not taking initiative." - Brandon Berz

what I do for team spirit is cheer on others, attend ever night out the girls have but I also feel like I could do more and the people who inspire me to do that are Baleigh,Carrie,Raelyn,Lauren,Emma,Taylar,and Cayla. -Ali Clayton

I show team spirit through participating and helping plan girls days and always encouraging others and letting my teammates know that if they need anything I am always here. And standing along side the course cheering for each and everyone of them. - Samantha Enriquez

"Every day, i go to practice with a positive outlook and excitement, for i know that I am contributing to something bigger than me. I'm contributing to a team." -Ryan Rasmussen

“I have made team spirit happen by telling some of the cross-country runners they did a good job on their workout and that they are improving.”-Mireya Ascencio

Team Spirit is letting your teammate borrow your watch when your not using it, it's showing up to practice and recording times for a hard-workout when you can't run and you could be at home in the air-conditioning! Team spirit is bringing noise-makers to races and taking your teammates' sweats at the starting line before their race . . . . . Emma

As an individual I show team spirit by cheering everyone on, I love being there at the start line, giving them a good job along the way and waiting there at the finish for EVERYONE to finish. - Morgan Sherman

I believe that I show team spirit by showing others how to do specific exercises for their injuries and giving them my advise on how to endure injury seasons. I want them to get better quickly because I truly understand what it is like to be injured.- Carrie Soholt

I help contribute to our team spirit by offering advice to the rookies and underclassmen and also by encouraging my teammates to own me in races."- Ethan McAbee

"I feel my way of showing team spirit is by getting to know all my teammates, especially the new runners, and encouraging them as we get to know eachother, also lettign them know i'm there for them on and off the course"- Raelyn Werley

i think i show team spirit by desiring whats best for the team and trying to always be there for them whether its trying to bring us together by having an ice cream party or asking someone how there run was/is going, i always try to be encouraging. I think our team does that well and its easy to encourage our team because we have a lot of positive attitudes. – Aubrey Bowman

"One of the ways I show team spirit is by cheering for my team mates to do their best."- lauren soholt
I believe that I show team spirit by showing others how to do specific exercises for their injuries and giving them my advise on how to endure injury seasons. I want them to get better quickly because I truly understand what it is like to be injured.- Carrie Soholt

To contribute to team spirit on KXC, I try my hardest to put my own complaints/injuries/problems behind me and focus more on helping others gain a more positive attitude. –Lori Dajose
What I thought team spirit was to me was not only encouraging others to run harder, but to be dedicated to the sport and do whatever it takes to do your best. – Tim Pungaew

Going the Distance ... Hanna Peterson

2010-10-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

There are a number of words that one could use to describe Hanna's four years of running. The one that I'll settle on is, "amazing."

You really have to have the big picture to understand the appropriateness of that word. You have to see the bookends that are making her story read like a page-turning novel.

Like many 9th graders, Hanna tip-toed into running, much like one tests the waters of a cold pool before jumping in. She took her time, didn't push, didn't jump, didn't submerge herself during those first months. In fact, it was at the pool during the CIF season of 2007 that we first heard of Hanna's new resolve. Literally and figuratively she was going to dive in. With the league season over, that year's CIF squad was doing a low-impact water workout after school and Hanna sauntered into the pool complex at King. She asked what the group was doing and after getting a brief explanation, she said resolutely, "That's going to be me next year."

If one had doubted the proclamation, it would not have been out of line. You see, Hanna finished no where near the varsity level that season. She was fully a frosh-soph runner without marks in racing nor training that would indicate in one short year she'd be toeing the line at CIF Finals.

But when Hanna makes up her mind about something, get out of the way. In one calendar, she did a full-180 in her running and like an Olympic diver she made the leap, head first. That next year, she was at the line of CIF Finals, just like she had promised.

She commited herself to training in the offseason and despite a few injury setbacks, she was undeterred and steadily began her rise to stardom. Her sophomore year, even after spending much of the summer in a StarWars-like boot for a stress fracture, she made the varsity team and did pool workouts in November with the CIF squad. She began to really shine in track her sophomore year.

And then came her junior year. Oh my. Like a rocket she ascended. Week after week, she got better ... and better. Her November was the stuff of fairy tales and the dimunitive and determined runner emerged as King's #1 and helped carry the team to it's highest finish ever at CIF Finals and then on into State. Her track season was punctuated with a CIF Finals berth in the 3200 meters in which she proceeded to set the school record of 10:55. The girl who could run a 1600 meters her freshman year in 5:28 can now do two of them, back to back, in that exact time.

The other bookend is now getting made. She's a highly recruited runner from schools ranging from San Francisco to the University of Arizona in Tucson. She's one of the fastest ever in 30 years to race across the Mt.Carmel course. It's simply a marvel to watch her set state and national aspirations, take care of herself, plan for the future and work hard toward her goals.

From what she was to what she is ... well, there's only one word. Amazing!

Wooden's Secret of Success -- Skill

2010-09-28T09:37:00.001-07:00

At the heart of the pyramid we find the 11^th secret of success. It is not an accident that “skill” is right in the middle. Look at all that surrounds it. With “alertness” and “initiative” holding it up, sandwiched in between “condition” and “team spirit”, and the foundation for the second tier of the pyramid, “skill” is truly the heart of it all. Symbolically, it is truly our heart and soul that pushes us to improve our skill. It is through positive conditioning that we tell ourselves we want to improve, we want to be better. We are inspired by our team and create purpose for all we do.

For Wooden, he believed skill meant being able to execute all parts of your job. For instance, he had great shooters but they couldn’t get open fast enough to make a basket. Then he had other players who could move fast but couldn’t shoot a lick. True skill means you are able to both- quickly and effectively. One would think that someone with experience and more practice would be able to do this, but that isn’t always the case. Wooden said that although he valued experience, he would rather have someone with a lot of skill and little experience than a lot of experience and a little skill.

Why might he feel this way? Experience creates fear….experience means doubts…experience means wisdom, but it could also mean limiting your desire to learn more.

So, how can we use our skills and experience to make us more successful people? In your lives I think it goes back to your ability to create specific goals and your ability to visualize. True visualization is not an easy task.

There are a few things that I have learned that I think make people truly “skillful”.

The first is to be a great listener. That means, when you have a lot to say listen to someone else first. Listening is a skill.

The second is to remain quick in your decisions. I don’t mean you walk into a restaurant and you know what you want before you sit down type of decisions, but maybe that’s the best example. When you know what you want and stick to your decisions, your actions will follow. There is no second guessing when you know what you are doing is right.

The next skill is the process of visualization. To do it well is no easy feat. Often we think visualization is only necessary in the sports’ world as we visualize ourselves throwing our arms to the sky in a moment of victory or scoring the winning goal in the championship game. But to truly visualize means knowing what your mind and body must do to get the desired result. Preparation is key. Knowing your desired outcome through all aspects of the race, the presentation, the homework assignment, the job interview is paramount.

I am somewhat of a news junkie. I love to read news, I love to watch news and I love to study the role of the media. While studying to be a journalist I began to understand that I needed to concern myself more with acquiring the skill of knowing my desired outcome in developing a story rather than solely on my writing style, length of copy, word choice, etc. What I needed to do is understand that if I wanted to create a story full of emotion, connection and compassion I would have to make sure my questions led me in that direction. I would need to learn to observe, listen, hear and understand my subject better than I ever thought. When learning about our great newscasters of today I came to understand that most of them create 100’s of questions to develop stories rich in detail and emotion. Watch the great newscasters, they know what they want when they approach someone. They don’t waver, they are quick to decide what to ask next and they truly listen. They listen for what we want to hear more about and what will draw their audience into the news.

Consider how this connects to your practice of visualization. Do you use your mind so that your body will follow? Do you listen to the needs of what is best for you, for the team? Do you see your goals through your mind’s eye, or do you watch yourself as if you were someone else? Do you remain specific, clear and focused on what you want to achieve? Does every decision you make reflect the journey you want to take to become a more successful person?

I have actually taken a couple of classes in the art of helping athletes visualize successfully. It is a hard practice and one that takes experience to understand how to execute effectively. I often find the explanations a bit daunting, but I came across these and thought they were the most clear. I can not encourage you to practice this enough. It works in everything you do. Know what you want to get out of every experience.

The keys to effective visualization:

Visualize what you want- not what you don’t want.

See the outcome as if it was already complete.

Fill your visualization with vivid detail and rich emotion.

Repeat your visualization consistently.

Infuse your visualizations with people you love and care about.

The last SKILL is that of “letting go”. Wooden felt that 95% of his job was done in practice. He had to feel confident that his players were ready for every game situation based on their success in practice. When they got to the game he “let go” as a coach, putting all trust and faith in his team. When you get to a race, how much faith do you carry with you? How ready, prepared, and complete do you feel physically AND mentally?

Here is a great quote to guide you through these thoughts, “Letting go is a product of faith. Faith enables you to feel complete today, yet strive for more tomorrow.”

Written by Coach Clendenen

Wooden's Secret of Success: Condition

2010-09-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Well, we are moving on up! Look back at the previous secrets to the pyramid and see how we keep building, working and pushing forward. As a team, I recognize you are taking on the initiative to do more for each other. You are recognizing the little things that need to be done to help our team improve. Remember, when the little things are done right that “big” things just fall into place.

The third tier on the pyramid is an interesting one when you look at it from left to right. Wooden says that it is the heart of the pyramid. When we look at secret #10 we see that it seems to sit atop “self-control” and “alertness” nicely. The second and third tiers are linked by “adaptability” to any situation. With self-control, we have to keep our mind in check so that our actions remain sound and respected. With alertness, we need to use our mind again to remain open to learning new things and taking on the challenge to do so with a sense of purpose and eagerness.

Notice how each secret to success starts with an individual’s mind and belief system. By training our mind the body will follow- not the other way around. For this week, we discover that “conditioning” is more than remaining fit and strong on race day. It is recognizing our conditioned responses to events as they arise. In other words, our mind seems to remain trapped in “familiarity.” This can be good and bad. Of course familiarity brings comfort and security, but familiarity can also bring you down. Your mind is used to knowing bad things can happen so we create mental blocks or use the negative situation as a defense mechanism. It is or becomes bad because you believe it can or could be bad.

Think of your racing, if you have had a bad race on a particular course, you already go into a new race on the same course with conditioned mental block. Something bad has happened there before, so it may as well happen again to you now. On a weekly basis, you have had a hard week at practice and your legs are tired. You have had homework each night and you are mentally drained. Your sleep habits haven’t been perfect, but you’ve survived. You actually don’t feel THAT bad, but then coach says it, “You need to do a two-a-day before the next race.” “You need to do an eight miler” the FRIDAY before the SATURDAY meet. “You need to run the morning of the race.”

What?

Your conditioned response is: “No, not me.” “What? I need to run fast, I can’t run a two-a-day!” “I will die if he makes me run that.”

You have conditioned your mind to believe that you may fail. You may not achieve what you wanted to achieve on that given day.

What if your new conditioned response looked something like this, “Sweet. Bring it on. It will be good to see what I can do with more miles under my belt.”

Remember your goals. Remember your team goals. Remember your future goals. Do you want to feel amazing in September knowing there are so many more miles to be logged, so many more chances to improve, so many more team experiences to be had?

Wooden says this about conditioning. “Supreme physical condition accompanied by mental and moral conditioning is foremost. Performance diminishes immediately when condition is insufficient.” For each of us, physical conditioning is different. What works for some may not work for others. To train to be a great doctor takes different training than being a great teacher or landscaper or restaurant manager. To be mentally sound is the same for all. It is a belief WITHIN us all that recognizes mental, emotional and spiritual conditioning should be balanced with our physical conditioning in order to achieve success.

Spend time each day thinking about your most negative beliefs. Write them down. Turn them into a positive. Write those down. Tape them up around your room. Instead of, “I’m not going to die at the end of the race,” change it to, “I am going to look ahead and make my legs fly.” “I am going to take three deep breaths and chase the person in front of me. “I am going to be a champion.”

Train your mind. Practice positive self talk in practice, in the classroom, in your relationships. Meditate. Breathe. Visualize you being better than you are today. Imagine the possibilities!

Read the following sentence one time through quickly.
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT
OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY
COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS OF EXPERTS

Now, read the sentence one time through counting the times you see the letter F.
Before reading further, do that now.

Now, how many F’s did you count?
(I counted three)

Now read it again, counting the number of times you read the word of.
Now how many f’s do you see?

This little exercise shows the power of mental conditioning or mental “blind spots.” When we were little, we were taught to say “of” like “ov. “ Our mind is trained to ignore the f in of.
Condition is defined as “characterized by a consistent pattern of behavior.”

We rely on memory instead of using alertness and understanding. If we were conditioned at such an early age to miss the “f’s” what else are we missing? How are old conditioning, familiar patterns and blind spots affecting us now?

Wooden's Secret of Success: Intentness

2010-09-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

The final link on the second tier of The Pyramid of Success is “Intentness.” The first and second tier is linked by “sincerity.” When we look below intentness, we see enthusiasm. When we combine all three, we see that we should remain diligent and persevere, but we must do so with an element of energy and sincerity that is sometimes hard to achieve when life is full of setbacks and adversities.

When we look at some of the great athletes of our time, we assume that the path to greatness was an easy one. Rarely do we see the hours of toil on the practice field or tears in working through an injury or the exhaustion from hours of travel, practice, game time and a life where a normal routine is often hard to find. Through the media we always seem more aware of the glamorous side of sports. We see the arms raised overhead in victory, the embrace with coach and family, the stoic face as they seem to effortlessly push themselves or their team to championships.

I am sure that if we did see the majority of our winning teams and athletes road to victory it would be marked with more setbacks than success. It is with reflection that we see how hard it is to remain true to the course when faced with adversity.

Wooden says that “the road to real achievement takes time, a long time, but you do not give up. You may have setbacks. You may have to start over. You may have to change your method. You may have to go around, or over, or under. You may have to back up and get another start. But you do not quit. You stay the course. To do that, you must have intentness.” Some of you have suffered through physical setbacks, but all of you have suffered through mental hurdles. How have you worked through those mental demons? Or, have you?

As a reminder to earlier discussions, Wooden began coaching basketball at UCLA in 1948. When he arrived there from Indiana he didn’t have a real gym, he was given a limited budget, but he was given the expectation to reach the top of the NCAA. Fifteen years later, the Bruins won their first National Championship. We don’t seem to have a lot of patience these days for teams who are expected to win. Can you imagine if Wooden had coached in today’s era? He probably would have been fired and the dynasty of winning 10 national championships in 12 years could have been lost.

Wooden makes reference to a couple of people he admires for their intentness through adversity. First, there was Lewis Alcindor- now known as Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Wooden said that despite his amazing skills and talent on the court, the press, the country and the life of a seven foot tall man worked against him. Kareem had to endure racism around the country and criticism from the media saying he was more of a “spectacle” than a person. Wooden insists Kareem was never rude and through it all remained in control and intent on helping his team win. During Kareem’s days a “no dunk” rule was put in place. Wooden believes that this rule and his intent to change to make himself better is what helped Kareem develop the deft skills and maneuvers around the basket that made him one of the best players of all time.

The other person that Wooden idolized was Abraham Lincoln who said, “Almost everyone can handle adversity. But, to test a person’s true character, give him power.”

Lincoln is known as one of America’s greatest presidents. Here is a brief summary of his career.

Failed in business 1831
Defeated for legislature 1832
Failed in business again 1833
Elected to legislature 1834
Sweetheart died 1835
Had nervous breakdown 1836
Defeated for speaker 1838
Defeated for elector 1840
Defeated for congressional nomination 1841
Elected to Congress 1846
Defeated for Congress 1848
Defeated for Senate 1855
Defeated for Vice President 1856
Defeated for Senate 1859
Elected President of the United States 1860

You each become more successful the more chances you give yourself at failure.
Don’t quit.

Written by Leisha Clendenen

What to Eat Before a Hard Run or Race

2010-09-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

A few of you new runners have already experienced the stomach upset that comes when running, especially on Saturday mornings. Here's an article from Kristy Richardson, a registered nutritionist (she also gave a presentation to our team last year) on what runners should eat before a run:

Pre-Workout Nutrition
August 20, 2010,
Do you avoid food prior to your workouts because of abdominal discomfort or digestive issues? To avoid these problems, make sure your pre-training nutrition is low in fat and fiber and focuses on high carbohydrate foods.

Ready-to-eat cereal, low fat milk and a banana
Yogurt and fruit
Egg whites, toast and berries
English muffin, peanut butter and a banana
Bagel, light cream cheese and a piece of fruit

If you are not used to eating before a workout, start with something small that is high in carbohydrates and well tolerated.
Half of a banana
1 cup of low fat yogurt
½ cup of cooked cereal (e.g. cream of wheat or oatmeal)
1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal

As you develop a tolerance for pre-workout nutrition, you should be able to gradually increase the amount.

If you’re still having digestive trouble, try a liquid meal.
Gatorade Nutrition Shake
Ensure
Boost
Slim-Fast
Carnation Instant Breakfast

It might take a few tries before you find the pre-workout nutrition that’s right for you. Find comfort in the fact that the effort you put in will pay off in the long run. Proper nutrition before your workout will help you optimize glycogen stores, improve energy levels, avoid hunger, and may even assist in muscle building.

This information was brought to you by OC Nutrition, Your Trusted Source for Health & Nutrition Advice. OC Nutrition offers nutrition counseling services over the phone or in person in Newport Beach, Irvine, Orange, Anaheim Hills, Chino, Glendora and Long Beach. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact:
Kristy L. Richardson, MS, MPH, RD, CSSD, CHESRegistered Dietitian & Exercise Physiologist
(949) 933-6788kristy@ocnutrition.comwww.ocnutrition.com

Wooden's Secret of Success - Initiative

2010-09-05T15:20:00.001-07:00

As we move toward the right on the second level of the pyramid, we come to “initiative”. With initiative in the middle, we see how it stands on top of loyalty and cooperation and towards the right hand link of “sincerity”. When we combine all of these values together, we continue to see how Wooden promotes the idea of remaining a noble, strong, and fearless individual while we do our best for the sake of others. In taking initiative he says we should, “Cultivate the ability to make decisions and think alone. Do not be afraid of failure, but learn from it.” In looking at all the blocks, we must be sincere in our efforts to be our best while serving the team.

Wooden believed that a person’s character should be paramount to winning and if you don’t think and act like a leader then the team would suffer. While we may all not be natural leaders, we may affect others’ actions, thoughts and beliefs in ways we never realized. By not recognizing our unique abilities to sincerely help and lead others, we are not taking initiative. Wooden does say that we must “cultivate” this trait, in others words it can take time. While it may take time, you may realize you are taking initiative without recognizing it.

Do you throw away trash that you see left behind without any recognition or thanks? Do you wear a watch to practice, have good eating habits, stretch well vs. going through the motions, avoid people that take you away from being the best you can be? If the answer is “yes” to any of these, then you are showing initiative. You are acting as a role model for others even if they don’t acknowledge it. You are helping yourself and your team.

However, in taking these actions, there is very little risk involved. There is no chance of failing. It is in that fear of failure that we decide to never take action. We become stuck and unwilling to take action because the results could be less than perfect. If you can keep in mind that we are not and never will be perfect, you can perhaps free up your mind and body to achieve any type of goal.

One of John Wooden’s team managers was quoted as saying he would have to go into the gym ticket booth on game night to see who the team was playing that day. Wooden would never talk about an opponent, he never prepared his teams to go against any one team, but challenged them each to take initiative to be their best no matter who the opponent. “Respect your opponent, but never fear them. You have nothing to fear if you have prepared to the best of your ability.” By taking the initiative to do more than what you thought possible, physically and emotionally, you are improving yourself and thus improving our team.

In the book “Beyond Success”, the author Brian Dibiro says that when you take initiative, you are taking action. However, it is “the difference between knowing what to do and doing what you know. “ We know what it takes to succeed, but it is our ability to take initiative (the doing) that helps you lead a more noble life and become a more inspiring teammate. You can do more, even when nobody is looking. The end result will speak for itself. What do you want your results to be?

“Remember this your lifetime through- Tomorrow there will be more to do.- And failure waits for all who stay-With some success made yesterday. Tomorrow you must try once more- And even harder than before.”

Written by Leisha Clendenen

Brilliant Color Dotting the Earthy Brown

2010-08-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

Rebecca came home today. Well, not "home", home, as she's been sleeping in her own bed for a few days now, but she came back to our program, back into the welcome embrace of those who have run by her side for the last four years and have been cheering and praying for her healing over the last three weeks.

She came wrapped in a surprise and burst forth in a mix of delighted shock and smiles of joy. It was quite a moment.

Accompanied by her Mom, Dad, brother and Coaches Clendenen and Griesinger, she "interrupted" our Monday meeting at the start of practice. It was a most welcome interruption!

Oh my, what a grand occassion. Three weeks to the day since CBU's terrible and tragic accident ... three weeks after traumatic injuries ... three weeks of intensive care in Reno, Rebecca walked in Riverside and right back into our lives.

We shared in the joy of seeing our loved one again. We marveled at her pace, her determination, her sheer grit. Those of us privy to the accident details could only stand in awe at what we beheld ... a lovely young woman, walking now with purpose, planning to run again and fulfill her mission in life.

My mind was taken back to the stunned silence of the night three weeks ago today when, in the dark of a Mammoth midnight, we got the news of the accident. A numbness descended over our camp the next morning. We wrestled with the fact of fear, of uncertainty ... the confusion of "what next?" We ran that morning ... it was a trudge for some ... but we ran up the big hill called Dead Man's Pass, our minds fixed on pain, real and imagined. We ran to the top, soaked in the view from 10,200 feet under a canopy of blue. Wild flowers painted the ground in yellow and purple, adding a festive hue to the earthy browns. We heard the muffled symphony of creation but it was hard to catch the tune. It was that kind of moment. A big, gigantic run, a celebratory tradition of our week in Mammoth, deadened by our sorrow. It was hard to let it rip and feel the joy.

In Riverside today, Rebecca shared time and words with us, her presence pushing our practice time back by ... well who cares. We ultimately did run, but there was no magnificent climb to ascend, no grand vista to greet us, just a mundane route we've done many times, checkered by suburban spreads painted in terrocotta shades of earth.

Yet Rebecca's visit, at least for this runner, did something to that routine. Energized by the gift of life, reminded of it's fragility, this "normal" run took on new colors and new meaning. How grateful I am for Rebecca's life, for the opportunity to have shared the road with her for four years, to taste the struggles and joys of sports and life together. I saw that idea in clear, vibrant colors as I ran through the housing maze of Orangecrest.

Today Rebecca came back to us, packaged as a gift, a new treasure of life. From the shadows of a great crash, her life and smile and radiant beauty reminds us of the brilliant colors that dot the earthy browns and greys of life. David Crowder puts it well: "A certain sign of grace is this, out of the broken earth, flowers come up..."

For those six miles today, the normal took on new beauty, a freshness and splendor not unlike the rooftop of Mammoth.

Thank you Rebecca, for inspiring us yet again. Oh, and welcome home!

Wooden's Secret of Success - Alertness

2010-08-30T07:44:00.001-07:00

When you typically think of being alert, goal setting does not come in to play. We need to stay alert while driving, be aware of our surroundings when we go from place to place, and work to remain focused and sometimes awake doing everyday tasks. Sometimes we work through our daily tasks without even thinking about them. We go to class, say hi as a formality to people we may not really know and finish our days not really thinking about whether we moved closer to any goal we had set for ourselves.

On John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, his seventh secret is “alertness” which he tells us to “Be observing constantly. Stay open-minded. Be eager to learn and improve.” When you connect this to last week’s secret of self-control and ambition, we see how the block of alertness does affect our goals. Without goals, we won’t remain alert while completing practice, studying for a test, pursuing a job or living our best life.

Psychologically it makes sense. Let’s say you really want to save money to take a trip to Disneyland or to a great destination. You will start to become alert to what it takes to save money. You will become aware of every money earning possibility that confronts you rather than not being alert to them if you didn’t have to earn money. When you set the goal of earning a certain amount of money you become alert to the opportunities it takes to achieve that goal. On the opposite side if you only focus on the negative- the what if’s, the fears, the bad things that have happened in the past, we have turned our attention from our goal to one of defeat before we have done anything. You do this when you race or confront a hard practice. You become completely alert to all the bad feelings you could have, the pain you may feel, and disappointment of possibly not doing your best. Instead of being alert to our goal and outcome we focus on being alert to possible negative results.

In our hectic, busy and cell-phone filled lives, we may feel as if we are always alert because we are always on the go and connected to everyone and everything. Rather, the opposite is true. With our heads buried behind computer screens and phones, we may miss half the people that cross our paths. We may miss beautiful scenery or the opportunity for an important face to face conversation with a loved one or even someone new. It is often difficult to quiet our minds and to remain still, but this is when the most alertness occurs. We become completely present with our thoughts, where their taking us and what we want from our lives. Through quiet observations of ourselves and others, we become increasingly alert and sensitive to other’s needs as well as our own.

As a coach and teacher, I must remain sensitive to each student and athlete’s method of motivation and inspiration. I must become a better observer to their needs. Whereas one person might like a daily dose of questions and answers another might like a random comment once a week. In asking better questions and working on truly listening, we actually grow as a person, a leader and in our alertness. Whereas we may want nothing but answers, it’s our questions that help us grow.

Written by Coach Clendenen

Wooden's Secret of Success - Self Control

2010-08-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

This season we are focusing weekly on the John Wooden's famous Pyramid of Success. Our aim is to instill in our athletes the character traits of team work and the building blocks of competitive success. While in Mammoth, our discussions focused on the base level of the pyramid, and now that the season has started we're working our way to the top and a block a week will be our aim.

These short articles are being written each week by Coach Clendenen:

Secret #6 in John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success is “Self Control”. We show self-control each day as we avoid eating too much, spending too much money or making choices that don’t help us become the best person that we can be. Wooden defines self-control by saying we must “practice self discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgment and common sense are essential”.

Building on the base blocks of hard work, enthusiasm and team play, Wooden links the block of self-control with the trait of “ambition”- an ambition for NOBLE goals. When we combine the two, we see how they must go hand-in-hand for without having a goal, any goal, there would be no real need to practice self-control of any sort.

At first glance it may appear that self-control is what we need to discipline ourselves away from the playing field. We have goals to race better, improve our times, to rise to the occasion and therefore we must eat right, stay focused, go to bed early, and make sacrifices for the sake of our sport. Ultimately these are important, especially as teenagers who are surrounded by so many out of control people. Through self-control you will indeed become a better runner. You will feel strong; self confident in knowing you have done the right things to help you become a better athlete. More important to all of this however is how self-control will help you become a stronger individual and one that can truly set, create and achieve a noble goal.

Wooden says that “Success is peace of mind, which is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you’ve done the best of which you are capable.” Self-control seems to be the clear stepping stone to achieving the kind of success that leads to the peace of mind that you have indeed done the best of which you are capable. How many times have we finished a race, practice, test, assignment, conversation with a friend or loved one and said, “I could have done better. I can be better.” We are full of regrets. We don’t race, act, believe or speak nobly. With clearly defined goals, ambition to become bigger than we have ever been before, we must practice self-control in all paths of life. Your actions, thoughts, values must become natural and not forced. They must be applied to your life and your life only for we are all faced with different circumstances and must rise above them. It is our head that must rest soundly on the pillow at night knowing we have peace of mind in being the best person we can be.

In the book Beyond Success, based on Wooden’s pyramid, the author Brian D. Biro, shares the story of Jackie Robinson, an obvious candidate for someone that epitomized self-control. Robinson, is a baseball hero who broke the color barrier when he became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in 1947. Robinson, who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, was obviously a success athletically, helping his team win the World Series six times, winning the National League’s MVP and playing on six All Star teams. Robinson clearly had to show self-control as a professional athlete, but in an era where people spit on him in public, mocked him on the field when he was up to bat and forced him to do things separately from his teammates while they were in public, he had to show self control in even more profound ways. Robinson was known to never complain, never fight back and never put anyone down. He was there when his teammates needed encouragement and made it a point to reach out his hand to a fellow opponent. He is known for saying that it did not matter if people liked him or not, the only thing that mattered was that they respected him.

Self-control knows that you must treat your own life with the sort of respect you hope to earn from others. It is a knowing that you are rising above the value that sometimes society places on us. It means living a life nobly to better those around you and to live your life in a way that helps you realize you are becoming the person that people can recognize as a goal-setter, a leader and a team player that stands up for what is right even when others may disagree. It is living your best life. This goes back to the groundwork for the pyramid. In order to be a good teammate you need to not strive to be like someone else on the team and compare yourself to others, but to make yourself a better person for the sake of the team.

As long as we are breathing, living and enjoying all the great opportunities we are presented with each day, we must strive to be better. We will be faced with adversity, obstacles and difficulties. We will have to help others overcome their own personal tragedies, defeats and struggles. We will face circumstances that we just can’t control- but we will want to control anyway. It will make us sad, mad, scared, and feel defeated. It is our amazing ability as humans, however to rise above these challenges and show great self-control because we respect the gifts and lives we have been given and to act with great ambition for the next opportunity to succeed in practice, in the classroom, in a race, in your home and in your community.

Big Run, Big Game, Big Names

2010-08-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a fun, challenging, and busy day. The morning started with our traditional "Big Smokey" long run, with the boys getting a full half-marathon in while most of the girls ran a tick over 11 miles. All finished well and it was a successful run.

After some time to rest and recover, we headed over to Shady Rest Park for the afternoon. A second-annual game of kick ball commenced, with typical hilarity. The Meecen (don't ask, it's a word that just came to be, born from men in Mammoth) were victorious, in large part to Dustin Means' cannon of a right leg, the "rookie" launched two long balls and circled the bases in dizzying fashion. He won the Player of the Game award, a title so prestigious that the game ball goes to the winner. This year's sphere was a baby blue bouncer with Star Wars figures painted on it. Sweet stuff, that.

We were treated to a delicious BBQ of burgers and dogs by Coach Peirce and the "Lords of the Grill", Mr. Andy Schupp and Mr. Mike Ritter who cooked 'em up to order. It was goooood.

The night was topped off with a presentation of Q-and-A by members of the Mammoth Track Club, a group of professional runners who live and train in the altitude of Mammoth Lakes. Among the six who spoke were Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor. Both are the leading marathoners from the United States, and Ryan ranks as one of the best in the world. Deena was the bronze medalist in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, and was poised for an even higher finish in 2008 before her foot broke at mile three of the race. These and several others shared candidly and with humor the lessons they've learned along the way. This, after serving watermellon to the couple-hundred high school runners who came to listen. There was no fee for their knowledge.

Following the presentation, the pros mingled with the kids posing for photos and smiling gamely. Truly a unique aspect of our sport is the humility of it's very best! Good times.

The boys with Ryan Hall

Trevor Berney makes the catch

The girls with Ryan Hall

Girls, girls, girls!

MVP of the game, Dustin Means!

An Uphill Climb

2010-08-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

We ran and in some ways are still are running with heavy hearts on the news of CBU's tragic accident and the traumatic injuries to one of our beloved alums, Rebecca Trupp. While the prognosis as of this writing is hopeful, she still has a long way to go and will be working hard to recover in the coming weeks and months.

The news hit us hard Tuesday morning and we were somewhat numb as to what to do. After some time of talking and crying we decided to go ahead and do the planned run up Deadman's Pass. Some said, "It would be a tribute to Rebecca."

Knowing some would struggle with the emotions and carry the weight of sadness and fear, we made our way up the hill in whatever fashion we could muster. Some ran, some walk, some did a little of both. Some cried.

As I struggled up the mighty grade, I thought of Rebecca and how she was such a fighter, especially on hills. During her years running with us, she was just so tough on hills, she was such a fighter. As my heart rate redlined and my quads ached, I thought of her. I thought of how I never once witnessed her giving up. I kept going. So too did her former teammates and those few among us who never had the opportunity to know her and be inspired by her.

Our usual celebratory spirit at the summit was naturally muted. We enjoyed the view. The brisk wind whipped at our dampened bodies. We waited for the last to arrive, took photos and headed back down.

I couldn't help but think of the parallels this run had to what perhaps Rebecca is now going through. She's on an uphill climb of recovery. There will be pain. Patience and endurance will be critically important.

Along the way, she'll need our cheers, our support, good words well timed. Just as we urged each other on to the top of Deadman's Pass Tuesday morning. Those words of encouragement ... "You can do it, keep going" will be what will sustain Rebecca in the coming weeks.

Some wonder why we annually choose to tackle such a tough run. You could say it's because it's hard. But really its because of what awaits us at the top. The view is simply spectacular, and given the toll such vistas require, they are all the sweeter.

I can only imagine that such views await Rebecca when the healing process is complete. I hope so. Until then, she will trudge onward, one step at a time, progress made.

You and I must cheer her on. We must not fail.

The Passage of Time

2010-08-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

Time is an interesting concept. It moves almost without notice. It doesn't need an engine. It's measure by light, shadows, wrinkles and watches. It creeps up on us. It flies by. Moments can seem frozen in time, and then there are times when we remark, "my, where has the time gone?"

We marked the passage of time last night, as two of our own celebrated birthdays. Hanna (17) and Sabrina, (14). One is entering the last year of high school, the other just entering it. Like bookends, they are beginning and end.

So it was a moment in time worth celebrating. Cupcakes with an abundance of frosting were handed out and an off-key rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" was sung at the top of our lungs. Given the altitude, we were a bit winded by the time the last note was sung off-key.

In the morning we made the most of our time with a run around Convict Lake, a truly inspiring place of serenity and beauty. We stopped along the footbridge at the western edge of the lake to soak in the artistry of creation and enjoy the time we had.

An easy pace back down the road brought us to the end of an hour spent running along trails, around a lake, under the heaven of blue.

It was a good time. What did you do with your time today?

Day One on Day Two

2010-08-08T16:52:00.000-07:00

We've had a good day today, with great weather and sunshine, a lot of sumptious food and about 11 miles put in our collective banks.

As I wrote yesterday, our traditional first-afternoon run along the scenic Mammoth Rock Trail had to be scrapped due to potential thunderstorms. So, we did Day One on Day Two.

It was beautiful. We're still acclimating to the altitude, so we kept the pace well within our comfort zones, allowing time to laugh and look. The view along the hillside trail is truly spectacular!

The Eagle Has Landed, We're Here!

2010-08-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

While the weather down South has been pleasantly delightful all summer, we were greeted upon arrival in Mammoth to actually cool temperatures and a strong breeze! Our drive north was a breeze too, thankfully, and we've all made it safely through our first run.

Tradition had to be scrapped however. For 10 years, our traditional first run has been to take the very scenic Mammoth Rock Trail that overlooks the village and the valley, the White Mountain range off in the distance.

Some ominous storm clouds have been brewing over the Sierra's since we arrived, and since they seem to have congregated for a meeting over the trail, we decided to avoid potential lightening, and opted for an easy run through town. True to Mammoth form, we spotted no less than four other high school teams getting their run in as well. We'll get the Mammoth Rock trail in tomorrow evening.

So it's off to a good start. Ham and baked potatoes are cooking up and dinner's callin'!

Why Hills?

2010-08-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

In light of the hill training we've been doing of late, I thought this short article by one of America's top coaches could be helpful explaining the what and why of hills in a training regimen.

"So why do we add in hill training? Hill training – either as continuous uphill runs or as hill intervals accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. The hill itself will provide you with great resistance training as you run. If the incline is steep enough then you will recruit many more muscle fibers over the course of the workout. Your hips and glutes work over-time when you are climbing over 2000 ft of elevation in one run.

With time and repetition you will get physically stronger as well as run faster once you hit level ground. Hills are also a great way to improve your running mechanics. Since the energy demand to climb a hill is that much greater than running on a flat surface you will learn how to use the right muscles to get you to the top. This workout has a way of getting rid of what isn’t working in a hurry.

In addition, hills provide you with the aerobic training that you need, but with much less pounding then when running on flat or downhill surfaces. Since you are always going up there will be less joint stress and eccentric muscle overload and this means that you can add in miles on hills without feeling like you ran a marathon in training.

Finally, hills are great for teaching mental tenacity and patience. If you go full steam into a hill you will probably get knocked over quick. A few more attempts like that and you will see that the prudent way to make it to the top is the steady approach. Conquering hills is much like conquering a marathon. The wise runner is the patient runner. Don’t give up if your first attempt goes south. Take the tortoise over the hare approach here and you will see a steady improvement that will bring tremendous dividends once you hit the streets. Running on a flat surface will feel like you are not working hard at all and then you can just watch the miles will fly by."

Commitment

2010-08-02T13:01:00.001-07:00

Ever thought about what it takes to be successful in running? I bet your mind goes pretty quick to the things like "talent" or "ability". While those are part of the equation, I've been coaching long enough (started in 1989) to have seen plenty of talented runners who weren't very successful. Their ability didn't get them very far.

The reasons for those detours are numerous, but so often it's simply because they lacked commitment. To neglect commitment in running is to invite an early end to running. "Uncommitted runner" is an oxymoron.

The problem is that in our society, studies are showing that a lack of commitment is becoming the norm. It's now acceptable, cache. Just two years ago, more than half of people ages 20-24 had been at the current job for less than a year. Young Americans are marrying later in life than at any time in our history.

The obituary of commitment comes with the collateral damage to community. While we exalt a commitment to ourselves, narcissism (an obsession with what we think will make ourselves happy) stands in the way of developing a team, of nuturing the collective good. All of the foundations of a healthy society crumble with the religion of self-focus. Commitment is at the core of all human relations, and it is the essence of great teams.

So how does this apply to us? Well, it begs a question: How committed are you? What kind of determination have made to contribute in a committed way to the well being of this community we call King Cross Country?

More specifically:
How committed are you to your teammates?
How committed are you to improving?
How committed are you to serving others?
How committed are you to listening?
How committed are you to having a positive attitude?
How committed are you to us?

The irony in all this, is that our self-absorbed society has abandoned the principles of commitment in search of personal fufillment and happiness. Studies show that we are among the nations of the world, one of the least content, least happy?

Why? Because to gain more life, you have to give more of yourself away. Without a commitment to others, our individual lives are empty and barren.

I challenge you to die to yourself this season and find the life that comes from living for others. Start with a teammate, then two, then three.

If all of us do this, we'll have the most successful season we could possible have.

Selfishness

2010-07-22T10:20:00.001-07:00

I was thinking on the run this morning. I do that on occassion. It's how I role.

What I was thinking about midway through the run -- and consequently mid way through the series of hills we were taking on -- was how easy it would be to give in to the discomfort and pain. How very simple it would be to just slow down and make it all go away...

By mile 5, most of the runners I could see were singletons, the groupings that formed early had evaporated like fog in sun. Hills have a way of doing that.

So there in mid-hill, alone, I'm sure the temptation to slow down and take an easier pace to the peak must have tempted some of you. Right?

Well my next thought went to the team, and it dawned on me that in a team sport like ours, every mile run well, helps the team. Every mile run too slowly hurts the team. It's easy in the midst of a workout where you might be splintered from a group to get selfish and think only of how much you hurt, how much "faster" everyone else is and order up some cupcakes with extra frosting for the little pity party you're holding in your mind.

"Cross country is an individual sport" say the uneducated. Far from it, yet in the midst of training (and suffering) we can convince ourselves that the pathetic pace we're holding, or the bail we just took on the longer route, will only affect ourselves.

It will ... but it will also affect your team.

How? Because your failure to improve makes us less competitive. Because your cutting a workout short may "convince" someone else to go with you. Now we're two people down. On the reverse, when you run hard, you inspire others to do so as well. We get better as you get better.

Selfishness. It's tempting, it's even celebrated in our culture. It's also the worst thing for a team.

As the days stretch out into weeks, I challenge you to conquer your selfishness.

Butterflies

2010-07-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well on Monday, we'll be at another starting line. This line represents the beginning of our 12th season as King Cross Country.

I've got a few butterflies. I'll be real.

But are butteflies bad? I've had an athlete or two over the years mention to me before a race that they've got butterflies. They say it like they're confessing sin.

While butterflies can create anxiety and upset your stomach and can even rob you of a good race on occassion, they really aren't anything to be ashamed of. They represent something. Something good.

Butterlfies say you care. They say you want -- really want -- a good outcome to what's lying ahead. They say you recognize the drama of sport. They say you want to do your best and can't stomach the thought of doing less than that.

So I'll admit, as I look at the starting line of next Monday morning, I've got a few butterflies fluttering.

I want this season to be better than last ... which is asking a lot.
I want improvement to happen ... in me.
I want to find out how we'll do in league and in CIF ... always tough challenges.
I want us -- you runners and we coaches -- to do our best ... all season long.

So bring the starting line, butterflies and all! Let's get it going!

Puddle Run!

2010-01-26T17:00:00.000-08:00

For those of you who got your run done in the rain today, this is for you!

What do the Great Runners Have in Common?

2010-01-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

In this video of The University of Michigan's coach Ron Warhurst, Warhurst discusses what all of the great runners have in common, and he adds some interesting insights into the art of racing, how great teams and great runners approach the race.

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

Coming Back after a Bad Race (or two!)

2010-01-08T11:44:00.000-08:00

Ever have a bad race? What about a bad season? Here's a three minute video from the coach of The University of Michigan in which he gives good advice on how to "move on" successfully after a less than desired performance.

Check it out!

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

Dealing With Setbacks

2009-12-15T12:30:00.001-08:00

Check out this short video from the elite Nike athletes as they discuss how they've dealt with setbacks in their careers. This was one of the festivities of NXN that Lane was a part of! Very cool stuff!

Animoto.com

2009-12-07T18:39:00.001-08:00

The Running Man

2009-11-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

You really should read this story about Meb, the American who recently won the NY City Marathon. Very inspiring story!

When Meb Keflezighi finished the New York City Marathon in two hours, nine minutes and 15 seconds the morning after Halloween, he became the first American to win the race in 27 years. But some spectators apparently missed the three red letters on his chest as he burst through the tape. Keflezighi is only "technically American," argued CNBC sports writer Darren Rovell. He's "like a ringer who you hire to work a couple hours at your office so that you can win the executive softball league."

Though Mr. Rovell has since backtracked, nobody recalls similar comments about Alberto Salazar, the Cuban-born American who won in 1982. And if Meb's name was Joe Smith and he was born in England rather than Eritrea, few would have questioned his national identity.

When I meet Meb the morning after his appearance on the David Letterman show—almost as great as winning the race, he quips—he is unbothered by the debate raging on the Web about his American-ness. "What's the list of things you need to be an American?" he asks rhetorically. "You live here, you pay taxes, you live by the American way. I've been here for 22 years. I'm as American as you can get."

As for wearing the USA tank top: "What a beautiful day to wear it on. In New York, to win my first marathon in that jersey—it just gave me great pride."

Talking to the 5-foot-6-inch athlete as he is massaged, iced, stretched and bent by his physical therapist on the Upper West Side, I could easily forget that he is one of the fastest men in the world. Unlike so many other professional athletes—huge in ego and stature—Meb is modest in both.

Which is not to say the 34-year-old isn't thrilled about winning his first marathon. "My email is full, my texting is full, my voicemail is full," he tells me with an incredulous smile. "I was kind of late coming here because for the first time since I got to New York I went to the breakfast place at the Hilton. And it was nonstop: 'You're not leaving 'til I get this picture,' or 'I need your autograph.'"
Yet he's quick to add: "It's a big honor. With fame and with winning comes responsibility." Meb doesn't see the need to be a role model as a choice: "You have to. People are following you whether you like it or not."

It's almost too convenient to chalk up Meb's character to his upbringing. Nevertheless, like so many other immigrant success stories, understanding Meb's parents and their values is essential to understanding who he is. He puts it simply: "They molded me."

Born in 1975, Mebrahtom (his full name means "let there be light") grew up in an Eritrean village with no electricity and no running water. Besides poverty, Meb's parents, Russom and Awetash, feared for their family's safety because of Russom's involvement with the Eritrean Liberation Movement and because of the ongoing war with Ethiopia. Meb's father decided to flee. "He walked all the way"—60 miles—to Sudan, Meb says. Russom eventually made his way to Milan, Italy, where he worked to raise the money to bring his family out of East Africa.

On Oct. 21, 1987, a date that rolls off Meb's tongue, the family immigrated to San Diego as refugees with the help of the Red Cross and the sponsorship of Meb's half-sister, Ruth. "Dad used to wake up at 4 a.m. so we could learn English," Meb says. "He worked as a taxi driver and worked in restaurants to be able to feed the family."

Meb adds, "You start on the bottom, work hard, and your dreams will come true—and that's what happened. We have a very successful family because my parents always emphasized using the opportunity you have to the maximum: 'There are a lot of people that don't have this opportunity, so make sure you use it.' That stuck in our head."
They stressed school to their 11 children. "Sports was not in our blood or in our family," Meb says. "So it was 'Do what you can and work hard. Your teachers are your parents when you are at school. They want the best for you, so make sure you listen to them."

Meb's oldest brother, Fitsum, was the trailblazer. He started ninth grade not knowing a word of English. By the end of the year, he won the top academic prize. The Keflezighis still have the tiny trophy 22 years later.

That ethic was key to Meb's success. "When I started running for the first time—seventh grade—I wanted to get that A, just like my parents taught me."
Meb had never run in his native country and had no concept of running as a sport. But his family's San Diego apartment was down the road from Morley Field where the national Foot Locker high school championship is held. "When I saw them running, the high school champions, I was like 'What are these crazy people running for?' They're not chasing a soccer ball or anything else."

Meb's two older brothers decided to take up the sport, he says, and "I just followed in their footsteps." At 12, he ran his first mile. He clocked in at five minutes and 20 seconds—with no training. Dick Lord, the PE teacher at Roosevelt Junior High, called up the high school coach on the spot: "Hey, we got an Olympian here."
Ron Tabb, who ran the marathon in 2:09 in 1983, saw similar potential in the young runner. Meb recalls Mr. Tabb seeing him practice in 1992. "He said: 'You're going to be a great marathoner and make the Olympic team in 2000 and be a medalist in 2004,'" Meb remembers. "So a lot of people did read my future."

By his senior year in high school, he says, "I ended up being one of those crazy guys running in the national championships." From San Diego High School, he went off to UCLA. Bob Larsen, who has remained his coach until today, offered the straight-A state champion a full ride. There he became a four time NCAA champion. And in 1998, the year he graduated, he became a citizen. Meb traces his success back to those years. "It goes back to high school—you try to be the best high schooler there is, and then to be the best collegiate runner you can be." Unlike team sports, "with running, it's just you and what you decide to get out of it."

If Meb sounds old school, that's because he is. His message for young people is simple: "Life is precious. Do something that is optimistic—that is good for society. Don't sit on the couch." His heroes, other than the list of American long-distance runners he rattles off (Jim Ryun, Steve Prefontaine, Steve Scott, Eamonn Coghlan, Paul Tergat), are Jackie Robinson and his parents. About himself, he says: "My God-given talent was discovering when I could run 5:20. Not everyone can run 5:20 . . . I was definitely gifted, but I have to work hard."

His determined training has helped him defy people's expectations. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Meb was ranked 39th out of 101 runners. He walked away with the silver medal with high hopes for the Beijing Olympics.

The Olympic trials in 2007 brought no such victory. Not only did Meb not make the Beijing team—he finished eighth—he fractured his hip during the race. Then there was the terrible tragedy of Ryan Shay's death. The rising marathon star and Meb's close friend suffered a massive heart attack during the race. During this year's marathon, Meb crossed himself in the spot where Shay went down.

"The darkest part of my running career was last year," he says. "I could have easily hung it up." Was he tempted to retire, I ask? "Oh yea. I'm not going to say I wasn't. I couldn't walk—I was crawling like a 10-month-old baby," Meb says about his hip fracture.

Recovering from the injury took a year and a half of intensive therapy and "hard work." But "hard prayer" was also crucial for Meb, who, like his parents, is a deeply religious Christian. Though his training schedule doesn't always allow him to make it to church every Sunday, he makes time for prayer "every day before I go to sleep and every day before I get up." He also uses the 15 minutes he spends in the ice bath for reflection: "Every day in the ice bath is my God time," he says.
As he healed from his injury "I really got to know who my friends are—who's got my back." One of them is Bob Larsen, his coach for 18 years. "It's like a marriage," Meb says about their relationship. He's "a great mentor."

Meb lives and trains in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., a hub for distance runners because of the high altitude. Though the distance varies from day to day, there is no escaping the reality that marathon training is every day, approximately 130 miles a week. Sundays, Meb runs at least 20 miles, sometimes up to 27 or 28 miles. Thursday is a recovery day, "which means you run just 10 miles in the morning and then a few in the afternoon." Fridays are a "simulation of what the marathon will be like: He runs "race pace or faster anywhere from eight to 15 miles." He also bikes and lifts weights, though he has to be careful not to build up too much muscle. "For 26.2 miles, you want to be a lean, mean machine."

"During practice," he says, "probably 90% is physical and 10% is mental. When it comes to race day, it switches because you know your body is ready and then you have to use your head to be able to perform."

To pump him up for this year's race, Mr. Larsen encouraged Meb to pretend he was "going on a long run with his buddies. Relax for the first hour and get to work after that." Marathons, Meb says, "are about patience and even pace."

He followed that strategy on Nov. 1, sticking with the elite pack, even allowing himself to drift a few feet behind the front runner. The wind, he says, was the hardest part of the race. But Meb realized he was in a fantastic spot as he ran up Fifth Avenue. "With two miles to go, I knew I had it in the bank," he says. As he entered Central Park at 90th Street, he saw his opening and pulled ahead of four-time Boston Marathon champ Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya.

British marathon champion Paula Radcliffe has said that she sometimes counts her steps during marathons—300 steps in a mile. "I do not count my steps at all," says Meb. "I take in what the crowd is doing—screaming Go USA, or Go Meb! The crowd is always going to get you through the good and the bad." And the New York crowd, he says, is simply "the best that there is."

As Meb ran through the finish line to screaming crowds, he crossed himself and kissed the ground. Seeing his wife, Yordanos, put him over the edge.

"When she saw me—I can't put it into words," he says. "Here's a guy that couldn't walk, that couldn't turn in bed because of my hip fracture . . . so when we saw each other we just broke down in tears." Meb credits his wife, who is also a native of Eritrea, as critical to his ability to perform. "She is seven months pregnant, we have two kids, and I'm the one who's taking a nap. She's very unselfish. She's been a big part of this success." When he met her, right before the 2004 Olympic trials, "we just clicked about God and family and perseverance."

As he allows his body to recover—with ice baths, eating the right protein, and physical therapy—he is focused on his next races. The 2012 Olympics are a clear goal. Many are speculating that he might go for a win in Boston this April. "I really think I can do it. I've done it once and I finished third. Now I know the course and I'm healthy." How much time can he shave off? "The body can do amazing things. I still believe my best times are ahead of me."

Meanwhile, he's savoring his win. And next week, he'll be back to New York, this time for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Meb will be riding with Miss America—on the Statue of Liberty float.

Ms. Weiss is an assistant editorial features editor at the Journal.

Distractions

2009-11-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

A crazy thing happened yesterday in Fairmont Park. No, not what you're thinking. I was running in the Mission Inn Half Marathon, at just past a mile, when all of a sudden a phone rings. I can honestly say that as it was ringing, my mind was all, "no, that's not a phone ringing. We're in the middle of a race. Phones don't go off in races."

I was in a pack of maybe 8 guys, cruising along at about 6:30 per mile, and one of them makes a surge to the front of the group -- like he wants some privacy or something -- pulls out his cell phone from I-don't-know-where and says, "Hello?"

Hello? What, are you kidding me?

Either I'm getting a lot slower, or this is just plain redonkulous. The guy proceeds to have a conversation with whomever, finally yelling into the phone, "I can't talk right now, I'm in the middle of a half marathon!" Well, duh, what are you carrying your phone for in the first place?

No joke here, but on my way back after the turn-around, I saw a woman carrying on a conversation on her cell phone. Goodness. What's the world coming to.

All this reminded me of how easy it is to get distracted from the moment. Most folks who run half marathons have spent a fair amount of time preparing for race day. 13.1 miles is not exactly a distance most runners can just role out of bed and go do. Because of that, I'd assume, one would want to put the entirety of their focus and concentration on the task at hand. Eliminating distractions, like, say a cell phone in your shorts(!) would be a given, wouldn't it? Again, I'm just assuming here...

What are you focused on? Anything? What have you spent a lot of time preparing for? What are you willing to give up to achieve your goal? Or are you too distracted by the tyranny of options, the din of being busy that you can't zero in on what is really important?

One of the consequences of a culture that thinks "you can have it all" is that we fail to see that "having it all" can be a major distraction from "having what's good." As you pursue a major goal -- such as a berth at CIF Finals this weekend -- I challenge you to think about what (or who) may be your greatest distraction from achieving that goal and kindly put it "on hold" for the time being. Trust me, it will be waiting for you after success has been accomplished.

Being able to talk on one's cell phone while in the middle of a competitive half marathon may be a modern marvel, but it certainly isn't a way to finish the race with any semblance of athletic dignity.

Hey buddy, the clue phone is ringing, and it's for you!

Going the Distance - Rebecca Asplund

2009-11-01T19:04:00.000-08:00

Like a ship slowly moving out from the safety of a harbor, she cut her lines and said goodbye. I was surprised when I heard the news, knowing what I did about the years Rebecca had devoted to club softball before arriving at King High. I figured she'd do both sports, so it was with a couple of raised eyebrows I countenanced these words:

"I've quit softball."

Her conversion was quick and with conviction. By mid-October of her freshmen year Rebecca decided she had found her love and the love was returned. Running would be her passion and joy.

We watched with equal measures of joy and admiration as this young rookie dove into the sport headfirst, learning and growing with an ambition that seemed to say "I'm going to make up for lost time."

She ran varsity that first year. And the second year. And ... well then came her third season. Beset by a host of physical issues that robbed her of strength and endurance, she suffered through a season she wouldn't want to wish on her worst enemies. The days were dark and long and the season seemed to be one protracted bludgeoning of hope.

But somehow she managed to not give up. Maybe because her personality is anchored to grace and peace. Anyone who has spent any time with her is quickly attracted to her dimpled smile, joyful laugh and eyes that twinkle like stars in a blackened sky. If it is darkest before the dawn, then perhaps it was so that the light of faith could shine brighter than ever, glimmering a path of redemption and new birth on the seas of adversity.

Having weathered the gale of that horrendous year, she finds herself in the infant months of a new life, one brightened with the wisdom born only in trial and built on the realization that for every season in life, there is a new beginning.

Unmoored, she sails purposefully again, aiming at the open ocean of opportunity and trial. No telling where she'll end up, but this much I do know. Having learned to run by faith, not by sight, she's well-equipped to handle any tempest that lies in wait out there on the horizon.

Going the Distance ... Rebecca Trupp

2009-10-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

One of the sweetest and kindest girls to have ever crossed out path has been Rebecca Trupp. She is known far and wide as a person who is as genuine as they come and a classy teammate.

Right from the start, Rebecca has been part of the heart and soul of the team. A caring soul, she has been the shoulder to cry on for some, the compassionate heart for others, the inspiring teammate for still more.

Typical of her in these last weeks of the season, she has single-handedly spearheaded our community service project, having contacted the directors of "Share our Souls" and taken the initiative to collect boxes for containing donated shoes which will in turn make their way around the world for those in need.

The cynic might say this is just a stunt for a girl to get attention as she finishes her career. Not so. This kind of action, love fully on display, has been Rebecca's trademark for all her years in high school.

While she never ran a varsity race, that's ok, for she realized early on that one's impact on a team is not directly related to one's athletic talent. Rather, the legacy one leaves behind is most significantly marked not by PR's and record-lists but rather to the level of their commitment and willingness to give all of what they have.

For four years, Rebecca Trupp has done exactly that, and for that King Cross Country is a better program for her having been here. As you donate your used pair of shoes next week, remember her influence and be thankful for all the good she has brought to our team.

Going the Distance ... Jarod Nocella

2009-10-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

It was a revelation to me, just last August on the traditional "senior night" of Mammoth. Given the floor and a few minutes to reflect on his time in cross country, Jarod, like all the other seniors, spoke from the heart, with a passion and sincerity that rocked the evening. Among many things he said that night, the one that jumped out at me was this.

"After my freshman year, I almost quit."

I tried to hide my surprise, but as I considered the words a bit more, I realized that my surprise was a bit misplaced. Given what Jarod has done in his running over the last couple of years, my memory of those early months has understandably been shoved into the darkened corners of history. But I'll admit the words shocked me back to a place that was real, 2 years ago, a place I have happily forgotten about since.

He, like many, joined the team following a social goal. His friends had signed up and somehow managed to roll out of bed in the summer months at the ungodly hour of 5amsomething. He, like many, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and wondered what he had gotten himself into. But by the time he was officially a 9th grader, the ball of XC was rolling and he rolled with it.

His sophomore year presented a challenge however, as several of those he joined up with, quit the team. It was there at that crossroads that he strongly considered walking away too.

We are SO GLAD he didn't. His years have been a steady arc of improvement. He has been a tremendous contributor to the athletic and social health of the team. Here in this senior season, he has all the marks of one of King's finest distance runners ever! He's an absolute beast when he wants to be. He has thrown down some simply stunning performances and has been a rock the team can stand on.

I'm sure most kids consider quitting at some time during their years of running XC. The sport ain't easy. It demands a great amount of discipline and tenacity and sacrifice.

Jarod Nocella -- the one time "almost quitter" -- has done all that the sport requires and has done it well. Without doubt, Jarod's ability to "go the distance" is one of the main reasons King Cross Country is where it's at today.

Homecoming

2009-10-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

It was cool to see cross country kids represented well at the Homecoming festivities on Friday night. Craig Aguilar and Rebecca Asplund were both nominated as members of the court and were acknowledged at half time of the football game.

Their escorts were also King XC alums, Charlie Alvarez and Casey Candelaria, both of whom are running well for the RCC Tigers!

Going the Distance ... Danielle Fillmore

2009-10-23T14:19:00.001-07:00

In the course of any race, the serious runner comes face to face with a question: slow down, or keep going. The act of racing over long distances is an invitation to a dance with pain, or at best the management of pain. Discomfort becomes our partner and it is only those who accept this relationship that thrive.

It is the same over the course of time. Years and circumstances can be wearing, and trials leap in our way and shout with real words. STOP. GIVE UP. THIS IS TOO HARD!

As a freshman, she was playfully dubbed "little Fillmore" after her popular older brother who was finishing high school as she entered. Since that rookie year, Danielle has experienced both the valleys and mountain tops of running. She's battled injuries, illnesses and a season that seemed as if it would never end. During that season, she found roadblocks and culdesacs, confounding desire and offering escape from the beaten path.

What Danielle discovered though ... perhaps ... is an inner resolve and strength that she may not have known was there. She was driven to the brink, and the brink didn't win.

As a result, her senior year has been a good one. Good times have returned and success has been tasted. That sweet smile, distant for a time, has returned. In the curve of the lips, one can read the words that mark Danielle, I'M NOT GIVING UP. I WILL FINISH THIS.

There can be no greater reward nor greater achievement. Danielle Fillmore leaves a different and better person than when she came. Little Fillmore, is little no more.

Going the Distance ... Brandon Rogers

2009-10-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

He is known simply by "BR,BR ... Beeee Aaaaar" It goes to the tune of an old song by P.O.D. which goes "We are, we are, the youth of the nation." I'm not sure why or how he was given such a moniker, but I'll admit I've joined in the refrain a time or two.

Brandon Rogers is a likable guy, he's got a very even temperment, I don't think I've ever seen him lose his cool. His facial expression, his emotions, his effort level could all be traced with a flat line. One might call him stoic and not be too far off.

But the story line of Brandon's running career is anything but flat. It's a span of four years that has steadily risen. Go back to 2006 and you'll see a freshman who was firmly planted near the bottom of the freshmen ranks. He was still that quiet and unassuming guy he is today, but he was a lot slower. His times rattled around in the 22-23 minute range and he toiled in a fair amount of anonymity.

Since that beginning, he has written a song similar to the Cars' Let the Good Times Roll. He's been knocking on the door of top-10, and his times today are a vast improvement from the old days. It's a whole new Brandon. Recently at the Clovis invitational, he notched his fastest time ever with a 3-mile mark of right around 17:00. Yea, a full 5 minutes ahead of his 9th grade times! Sweet music indeed.

So sing loudly the praise of BR's four years of running. Unlike some tunes, this one you won't mind having stuck in your head!

Going The Distance ... Sean Lee

2009-10-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

If I were a man of greater wealth, there's a gift I would love to give Sean Lee on the eve of his high school graduation. What is it you ask?

Well, we're both avid baseball fans; he a devotee of the Yankees, my allegiance is closer to home and the Boys in Blue have elated and saddened me for 30 years now. So the perfect gift would be for me to fly the two of us out to New York for a Yankee game in their new $1 Billion stadium. It would be epic.

You may wonder what we'd talk about ... I don't. Sean's the kindof guy I could easily spend an afternoon with and the conversation would probably never slow.

The first inning we'd probably both just sit in awe of the stadium. The single most expensive stadium ever built would deserve an inning of finger pointing and "hey Sean, check that out!"

By the second inning the conversation would move to me playfully mocking his Yankees' absurd spending habits on players. I mean, come on, are these guys really worth all that cash? I might ask. His retort would be - quick wit he, "and how many World Series have your Dodgers won?" Ouch. Good point. Laughter would steal the injury, Sean has made me laugh a lot over the years. The guy is funny.

The third and fourth innings would be consumed with discussion of history and politics. Sean is bright, very perceptive, and was a great US History student for me last year and has sharpened his political observations and perspective. He's a passionate liberal, me a conservative ... you telling me this conversation wouldn't be interesting? Trust me, we've had some good, intellectual discussions which neither side wins. I like that. The banter might drag into the fifth inning.

As we munch on $10 hotdogs, recognizing the junk we're putting in our bellies, the talk would turn to memories of his four years of running. Good memories would consume us, memories of overcoming adversity and injuries and marking a career by one word: Improvement. Or maybe success. Or passion. You choose.

In the sixth and seventh innings, we reminisce about 8 years of Lee kids and parents involved in cross country. First his older brother David ('03), and now Sean, I got the pleasure of coaching the cleanup hitters of the Lee team. David and Sean are the 4th and 5th of five tight-knit siblings well-parented by Dave and Jackie whom I've enjoyed getting to know. A touch of personal sadness would be interrupted by a raucous singing of "Take me out to the ball game".

The game is all knotted up 5-5 by the 8th, and so we just sit back and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of a good baseball game. If you don't like baseball, you wouldn't understand.

Still tied in the ninth, Derek Jeter steps to the plate and "goes yard" to win the game with a walk off. Sean leaps to his feet, spilling his coke. I cheer as well, as Jeter is a Yankee even a Dodger fan can love.

Especially when his hit beats the Angels.

(Last year I wrote about Sean's running accomplishments here)

Going the Distance ... Kelsi Tippets

2009-10-07T20:01:00.001-07:00

Her list of accomplishments is impressive:

2009 King High Athlete of the Year
2-time King XC MVP
2008 County Runner of the Year
3 time First Team All County honors
3 time All State Honors
State finalist in 2008
Record holder
League MVP 2006, 2007, 2008
Record older at several distances and levels
She's being actively recruited by a number of universities, including BYU, UC Davis, Santa Barbara among about 20 others who have contacted her.
Oh, and she's kept a GPA above 4.0 the entire way.

Such a resume would leave many boasting loudly and often of it. Frank Sinatra's famous song, I Did it My Way becomes their refrain.

But that's not Kelsi. Kelsi's greatest accomplishment has been:

Humilty.

Her letter jacket weighs considerly more than it did when she bought it, burdened by some 20 patches. Yet she's equally adorned with a deferring and humble nature that belies the achievements. Slow to blow her own horn, she's handled the acclaim and honors that she's earned without lording them over others or doing anything to promote her already famous name on campus.

And for that we're grateful. Not only has she fashioned herself into a fantastic runner, but she's done it in the always fashionable style of grace and quiet dignity.

Well done.

Going The Distance ... Derek Nelson

2009-10-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Derek Nelson is one of the most impressive young people I know. He has truly been a blessing to a team that four years ago needed some folks just like him.

His start in running wasn't what one would call an "explosion." His talent wasn't clearly on display, but what was obvious was his willingness to be coached, ability to listen and desire to work hard and do his best.

That equation has resulted in what has become a truly glorious career of running over the last three years, and this season is shaping up to be a grand culmination on that theme. He's been a "rags to riches" story of sorts, reminiscent of those 19th Century stories penned by Horatio Alger who wrote of young boys who rose to great heights of success through "luck, pluck and virtue." I'm not sure how much luck Derek has received, but I do know how hard he has worked and how deep is his character.

Derek is the consumate worker. Both in the classroom and on the roads, no one could ever accuse Derek of slacking or taking short cuts. The guy gets the reality that nothing good ever comes easily. He has literally "lost his lunch" a time or two in the effort to achieve even more.

But even bigger than Derek's work ethic is the class and dignity in which he wraps that drive. He is not given to putting others down who fail to reach his level of commitment. He's kind and sensitive; honest and forthright. He understands and practices teamwork in an old fashioned way, making the guys around him better by his self-depracating and humble spirit. His character is as deep as the pacific and our team is TRULY better because Derek dons the uniform.

From very humble beginnings, to one of the cornerstones of our current varsity squad, Derek has littered his career with successes and valuable lessons learned in the valleys of adversity. The result is a glittering example of a young man that makes us all quite proud to say, "I run with Derek Nelson."

Going The Distance ... Craig Aguilar

2009-09-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Craig came to cross country on the last day of summer or on the first day of his freshman year, I can't exactly remember which one. Either way, he got a later start on the sport than his fellow teammates did that year.

Sometimes a slow start can lead to disillusionment, disappointment and in my experience coaching over the years, that leads to disappearance. Most kids who come out late don't last. Not sure exactly why it's that way, but it is.

So in that way, Craig is different. Not only has he gone the full distance, he's done it with class and style. Those two characteristics are Craig's strong suit. Gracious and kind to the core, he has painted his years here in vibrant colors of integrity, hard work, a positive attitude and a generosity of spirit that has made us better.

He's adopted a fun nickname, a morphing of his first and last names, "Craiguilar." I like that. It's cool.

All coaches ever really want from their athletes is that the leave having imprinted the people around them with the marks of quality and integrity. Craig has certainly done that, and King Cross Country is better as a result.

Going the Distance - Brad Sheets

2009-09-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

Brad has become pretty much everything you'd want from a high school runner. I say "has become" because he didn't start as the complete package. Let's just say running probably wasn't exactly his thing when he started four years ago.

I remember Brad doing a lot of walking in workouts, and it seemed he was a long way from actually becoming anything that remotely resembled a runner. But time marches on, and as it did, Brad began to jog, then to run, and now he can race.

Along the way he's graced us with a positive attitude, a photogenic smile, constant chatter (those who've run any distance with him know this well) and now as a senior, the training level, experience and ability to make for himself a season that is altogether different from where he started.

For those who like to think that change can't come, that what we are is what we will be, that teenagers can't achieve, Brad Sheets is living proof that none of those assertions are altogether true. He's a living and breathing example of someone who appeared to be completely out of his element as a 9th grader but is now the living and breathing embodiment of the team and the sport.

That is quite a transformation. That's what Brad has done in his years here. It's quite a story.

I wrote more about Brad last year, to read that, click here.

Dodge Ball

2009-09-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

Remember dodge ball? I don't mean the movie, I mean the game. We played it a lot when I was a kid, back when the earth's crust was cooling and school administrators weren't worried that the little Johnnys at recess might end up getting a boo-boo when a big red ball connected with their faces.

It was a fun game.

A lot of folks like to live life like it is a dodge ball game. We line up against the wall of time and spend our time trying to avoid the hurling red balls of suffering and adversity. The point of this game is to "stay alive" and do everything possible to keep from being hit.

While I'm no masochist eagerly seeking ways to hurt, when it comes to distance running and racing, pain is part of the process. A coach who many years kind of showed me the ropes of coaching once said it well. "The other sports tell their athletes to go out and 'play', while runners spend their time 'working' out. The point of cross country is to suffer."

Those words have kind of an ominous sound to them when you're trying to recruit 14 year olds who've associated running with punishment from a very early age. You can hear them thinking, "Oooh, that sounds like fun."

But the successful runners are those who find the joy that comes from suffering. Not joy IN the suffering, but the joy that comes FROM it.

Here are a few things that we get from that "good hurt" that comes from any hard effort.
1) strength and speed. There is no other way to develop these two main characteristics of great racers.
2) Mental toughness. When you're a mile from the finish line and everything seems to be on fire, your brain cries for mercy. You're a tougher individual when you can tell it to "shut up and keep going."
3) The ecstasy that comes from finishing is multiplied by the experience of pain.
4) Perspective. We begin to realize what we can handle ... and its usually more than we thought.

As we begin racing this season, make it a goal to not dodge the discomfort that will come over those three miles. Instead, embrace it, accept it and realize that the only way to the finish line is through a time of adversity and pain.

I promise you, when you come out successfully on the other side, you will NOT be disppointed.

Laughter is Good Medicine

2009-08-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

Friday night was one of funniest and laughter-filled nights we've ever had at Mammoth. I haven't laughed that hard in, well, I don't know how long.

The last night of our Mammoth Camp is high on tradition. We celebrate the hard work and good times of the camp by staging a "condo desert contest" where each condo is charged with coming up with an original creation (nothing out of a box) to be judged by eminent taste-testers. There are no prizes given out except for pride, but by the way each condo goes about coming up with something spectacular (or, in the case of the guys' condos, just really good arguments for why their concoction should win), you'd think a golden statue was awaiting the victorious recipe.

I have to say that the girls' condos truly outdid themselves with two really impressive creations, one based on the camp theme, and the other a realistic looking oversized hamburger and fries, all made with delectable, sugary sweetnesses.

The boys, well, let's just say that's where a Night at the Improv broke out. Chris Miller's instructions to not touch one side of their cake "unless you like cajun chocolate" had everyone doubled over and Sean Lee's lawyerly "explanation" (read: "rationalization") of their mint cake made from well, butter, and more butter ... and even more butter, was equally hilarious. I about lost it when Coach Griesinger, the official judge, pointed to the third boys' creation and after a couple of pained bites, a swallow of water to get it down, deadpanned, "that's just horrible."

The Friday tradition continues with gift giving, encouragement to one another and our senior talks which were complete with heartfelt exhortations to the younger teammates and heart-tugging memories of good times and bad.

But the evening is capped off with the "Friday Follies" in which each condo presents some kind of skit or dance routine, usually in hillarious fashion. This year was no different, and when a group of girls decided to spoof Sean Lee's dance routines from each of the last three summers, it brought the house down. Sean claimed it was a "tribute" and he may be right. No one has busted a move like Sean in the last three years and the group of 7 girls got it exactly right.

They say laughter is good medicine, and after nearly peeing my pants Friday night in raucous laughter, I'm good to go!

What a great time it was!

Some Mammoth Images

2009-08-14T09:39:00.001-07:00

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2009-08-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

For the first time in our 10 years of coming to Mammoth, we organized an official kickball game for afternoon entertainment. Complete with T-shirt uniform, umpires (Carrie at second base and CP at home), a score-keeper (Mackenzie) and the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch, the two teams (Channel 4 News Team vs. We're Better Than Your Team) put on a great show.

The game was actually quite exciting, with some questionable umpiring calls, a play at the plate, a double play, a number of errors, and several home runs (Jarod, Kelsi and Chris Miller) which moved the game to the bottom of the 9th, score tied at 6. With two out, up to the plate stepped freshman Brandon Berz who had flied out his previous two times up. Had we had a stadium, the crowd would have been on their feet. Sadly, the only two spectators mildly amused at our game stayed seated in the shade of a fir tree. Whatever.

The pitch from Derek Nelson bounced it's way to the plate and Berz's foot connected, driving it into deep right field. He circled the bases before the relay could get home and -- I'm not kidding here -- won the game with a walk-off home run. It would have made Andre Ethier of the Dodgers proud. The Channel Four News Team took home the win. We ate hot dogs to celebrate.

Here are a few pics from the game.

Danielle sports the look of one who's just flied out...

The official score card...

Team photo time

Our Chevrolet Player of the game with a walk off homer to win it in the bottom of the 9th, Brandon Berz.

A Visit with Ryan Hall

2009-08-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

We had the great opportunity of hearing 2008 Olympian and American Record Holder in the half-marathon Ryan Hall. He's a local product out of Big Bear High, but calls Mammoth home now for his high-altitude training base.

After a "shot in the dark" email I made a week ago through his website to ask if he'd speak to our team, he said he was booked to speak to a group on Tuesday night and that we were welcome to join in!

We did! ...And it was awesome!

Ryan came across very grounded, down to earth, and willing to impart the lessons he has learned over the years to those willing to listen. He didn't brag, he just softly and at time humorously told stories of success and defeat, victories and failures, but mostly how he has grown and learned through his rise from wannabe basketball player in high school to America's best marathoner today. (He's competing in the the New York Marathon on November 1st).

There was so much to take from his talk, but the theme he tried to drive home was "to be confident in who you are and what you can do." He told the audience of high school and college runners that he was no more special than they were, and that in each and everyone of us is "the possiblity of greatness."

Of the many lessons he shared, the one that gripped me was connected to this last summer's Olympic Games in China. He was a medal-contender. He had placed high and ahead of many of the African greats in previous world-class marathons, and there was a lot of pre-Olympic hype over what Ryan "was" going to do on the final day of the Games. It wasn't to be. He finished 10th, well behind the leaders and was never in contention for a medal.

He admitted that as he entered the tunnel of the stadium, preparing to run the final 500 meters of the race on the track, he felt bitter. His lifetime goal had fallen short -- way short in his mind. Yet, something happened in the tunnel that he said not only changed the way he ran that last quarter mile, but solidified a lesson he had been working through. It was there that he realized that winning was what he wanted, but not necessarily what he needed. He discovered that perhaps 10th place in the Olympic Games was EXACTLY the golden moment he needed right then for his career and for his life. So, he said, "I entered the stadium and thoroughly enjoyed the moment I was in."

For a 24 year old to possess that kind of wisdom is truly remarkable. And so it was a great night, listening to one of Southern California's own, a young man determined to use the platform his fame has given him to give back to the next generation. He used it well.

Deadman Running

2009-08-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

We ran the infamous Deadman's Pass run this morning. We haven't run it in a couple of years -- the first because a distant forest fire covered Mammoth in smoke and last year because, well, I didn't want to do it.

It's hard. (Some of the kids claim "it's not that bad." Fine. Try it at 180 pounds with 43 year old legs. Then we'll talk).

It starts at 9,100 feet of elevation and ends 2.5 miles later at 10,200+. Your lungs cry for mercy, your legs are begging for forgiveness. They figure they must have done something really bad to deserve the punishment they are going through.

But on both go, carrying the rest of the body up the hill, perhaps pulled by the sense of accomplishment and the spectacular view at the top. We look across a small valley to the Mammoth Mountain. To the west, across a large valley lie the Minarets, a saw-toothed range of granite, still pocked with snow despite the month of the year. To the east, across the caldera, lie the White Mountains.

The athletes rejoice at the top, perhaps because they know the pain is over, perhaps because they see, and know: I did it.

In the years we've run it of course, we take the obligatory -- even mandatory -- team photo at the top. Where the run up is hard, the smiles at up there are easy.

Back in 2006 we had three freshmen in Mammoth, three rooks just getting their start, and maybe wondering what they had gotten into with such an effort. I snapped a picture of them there that day, and thanks to Sean Lee's almost daily insistance this week that we must "adhere to tradition", he reminded me of that photo and demanded another. I was happy to oblige.

Here is Kelsi Tippets, Sean Lee and Danielle Fillmore; all three have made the Mammoth camp each of their four years in high school. They've grown -- the picture shows that -- and we've enjoyed their tremendous contributions to the excellence of our program over these last years.

Here we all are, rejoicing on the summit...

We take it easy on the way back down, giving some the chance to enjoy the beauty of the Sierras

An Opportunity of Beautiful

2009-08-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Today we enjoyed the annual treat of Mammoth ... our traditional run into Reds Meadow, followed by a breakfast buffet and time at the spectacular Rainbow Falls.

The weather this morning was wonderful, a bit cold but refreshing. The 7 miler is mostly downhill through the woods with incredible views along the way of the Minarets and the valley in which Reds Meadow lies. The path is soft and easy, embracing the footfalls in a cushion of dirt. A natural spring near the end bubbles from the earth, begging the passerby to pause, look and listen to the gurgle of a newborn stream.

Awaiting us at the Reds Meadow Cafe is a scrumptious feast of eggs, bacon, pancakes, potatoes, OJ, coffee and fruit. We can eat to our fill. Nestled in the towering pines and firs, the cafe is a bit of a way station for backpackers and rustic campers. The giddy teenage noise awakens the early hour.

Rainbow Falls is one of the landmarks of Mammoth's backyard where the very brave take a cold bath, while the aging coach watches from afar with camera in hand. Old Man Griesinger is upstream fishing (he caught two "the size of Coach Peirce!") but he threw them back so we have no validation on this fish(y) story.

On the rocks next to the falls our troops of good-hearted parents snap pictures and soak it in. Their kids are having fun. Laughter bounces off the cliff walls, competing with the crashing water. Screams burst forth from the sting of frozen appendages and rise above the din. The photo is taken. Another Rainbow Moment is in the books.

A bit weary, we hike back to the cars for the long drive back home around the mountain. One thinks on this morning of the treasure we hold in our bodies, the gift of health and strength, of youth and laughter, of mountains, trees and water.

One drives away grateful. Grateful for opportunities of beautiful.

OMG

2009-08-11T11:42:00.001-07:00

"Old Man Griesinger". Beloved coach. Cool dude. Good looking man.

Convict Lake, The View

2009-08-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

Reeds and Sun

2009-08-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

From near the trail today around Convict Lake.

Freshmen Apples

2009-08-10T14:55:00.001-07:00

One of the traditions we have here in Mammoth is to award our 9th graders on the trip with a carmel covered apple from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Not sure why or when it started, but the Factory is one of the treat shops in town, and I confess a personal attraction to their Cookies and Creme covered apples. That's for another blog post though.

Back to the freshmen. Given that most of the upperclassmen are thinking, planning and training for Mammoth since the middle of the track season, we don't hold the 9th graders who are new to our program to the same standard. We get all of about 10 days to get a sense of whether or not they could handle the rigors of the week here in the altitude of the Sierra's. So to be invited as a 9th grader is something of an honor. We can't take all of the new kids, so the top few who stand out and stand out early are given the nod.

Raelyn Werly has been impressive here, just as she has been down south. She took a tumble on the second run, skinning up both knees and by the time she reached the end of the run everything below her knees looked like red polka-dots from the blood "splashing" (she calmly noted.)

Brandon Berz just arrived today, as he was in Colorado over the weekend running in a 12 person, 200 mile non-stop relay. He ran three legs (each about 6 miles), the first he said with a smile was out of Fort Collins in 102 degree temps, the second was up 2000 feet of elevation gain -- at 2:00 am -- and the last leg was at 4:00 am. Uhh, yea, he can handle Mammoth.

Nathan Torres is a truly gifted runner, he seems to just float across the ground. He's shown a tenacity on our harder runs and workouts that we like. The kid has a BRIGHT future in this sport!

Lauren Soholt perhaps thought she had made the invite because of her sister, but not so! She's emerging on her own, separate from her sister's shadow. She's a tough cookie.

Emma Jaramillo is a go-girl! Wow, talk about a super spirit -- competitive and gracious at the same time! She's as ferocious as a tiger but as sweet as the caramel on her apple.

We're excited and proud to have these youngin's on our team, they herald a new birth for our team and for the future! Here on Monday of Mammoth week, they are doing well.

2009-08-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

We've had a great first 24 hours! 7 miles on the first afternoon, and a combined 12 today has made us sore, tired ... but in remarkably good spirits. Maybe it's Coach Peirce's great cooking -- we're not going hungry. Maybe it's the ideal weather. Maybe it's just Mammoth. All is good!

The Eagle Has Landed

2009-08-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

The tenth Mammoth Camp has officially begun. Fresh from our traditional "Mammoth Rock Trail" run, we've enjoyed the views, the thin air and the familiar confines of this little town.

We were quick to note that the Starbucks closest to our condominium complex has been shuttered. Dang recession! Not sure what I'm going to do...

But all is good after a safe, rather boring drive up the 395! More to come tomorrow!

Just Another Blog Post

2009-08-04T20:59:00.001-07:00

I was watching a movie the other day ... not an especially good one, but it had a good line. The theme of the film was about living a "magical" life, going after your dreams. Living big.

In a conversation one of the characters was having with the protagonist, she recognized him for what he was and said, "So, you're a 'just' person. You can do just so much with your life. This is just toy store. This is just another day." You get the idea. She was critical of his self-imposed limitations.

I think I know now why my last girlfriend reacted the way she did when I said I just wanted to be friends. Ouch.

But that line has stuck with me these past few days. I've asked myself if that word just describes my outlook in life.

Will my marraige be just another marriage?
Will I be just another dad?
Will this be just another season?
Will my profession become just a job?
Will my days be just another clump of hours?

These are convicting questions, for I have to answer truthfully that sometimes that's how I feel. I just want some peace and quite. Just a little taste of mediocrity. Just a day ... or two ... to slack. Just give me a break.

Just a minute. Is this any way to live? I know it's normal, I know that's how most people live. But I don't want that.

Specifically,

I don't want King Cross Country to be just another team...
I don't want our runners to be just another runner...
I don't want this season to be just another ... I think you get the idea.

One of the most blessed moments of our last ten seasons came last summer when Jason Schupp talked to his fellow athletes and confessed that at first he was a bit intimidated or scared of me and the other coaches. But soon he realized he had no reason to fear because he came to realize that the coaches just want us to be our best. I smiled.

Now that's a "just" I can live with. Make that your only use of "just" this season and you'll be well on your way toward a season that just might be something magical.

Happy Birthday To Us!

2009-08-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

Pictured is the team on King's first day ever! Can you spot Steve Griesinger (now a coach)? Sean Lee's older brother is in there too.

10 years ago today, August 3, 1999 - King Cross Country began. And what a beginning it was! We met at Earhart Junior High since the King campus was still a bit under construction. 34 kids showed up, only 6 girls. All were freshmen except for a handful of sophomores.

We ran about a mile that day. Well, at least the workout called for a mile that day. Most of them walked most of it.

I remember thinking, "we've got a lot of work to do."

And here we are a decade later. What a decade it's been.

Though we would be quick to taste success -- the boys team in '99 would actually win the league championship (a small-school league known as the Arrowhead League) there would be yearly challenges of moving up in competitive levels as the school grew. The girls couldn't fill a full team that first season, but have since gone on to win 7 straight league championships across three different leagues and run in CIF Finals 6 times in a row, something no other sport at King can claim.

We've seen it all in ten years! We've had our share of hooligans and looky-lews, but overall we've been blessed with great kids who increasingly are seeing that hard work won't kill you and the fruit of labor is sweet reward. We've had our fair share of talented kids, and many who have discovered their talent along the way.

So what will our 11th season hold for us? No one knows, but our money is on the idea that this could be our best season yet!

Lookin' Up

2009-07-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

I went to see the Pixar movie Up last weekend with my wife and daughter. I was pleasantly surprised with the movie, and though I wouldn't call myself a raving fan, the message of the film has been sticking on me since then.

There were a lot of themes in the story, from steadfastness, longevity, determination and love. But one came through a bit more clearly to me than others.

Did you notice that both old guys in the movie were in a relentless pursuit of a goal? For Mr. Fredrickson, it was to live out the adventure he and his wife had wanted for decades, to have a house at Victoria Falls in South America. After she dies and he is about to be forcibly moved to a retirement home, he hatches a plan to tether his house to thousands of helium balloons that will lift him and his house up and out of his dilemma and on to his goal. You have to admire his grit and determination and ingenuity.

The other old guy in the film, Carl Muntz, is a discredited explorer who was cast off by American society decades earlier as a fraud in his claims he had found some historic bird, previously unknown. In rejection, he leaves for South America claiming "never to return until I find that bird!" Of course, now in their old age, the two men meet there in South America, making for a clash of titans.

Like true titans, both men are zealously intent on their goal. For Muntz, he MUST regain his reputation. For Fredrickson, to live at Victoria Falls is ALL there is.

Neither goal was necessarily bad, and as a coach who daily preaches to his athletes the value of setting goals, I can't disregard their pursuit. But the writers of the movie, while not downplaying dreams or goals, exposed a dangerous side effect to such a singular pursuit.

Both men had developed a contempt for others and for relationships. Muntz was alone, having surrounded himself only with a pack of programmed dogs, trained to do whatever he commanded. Fredrickson wanted to go alone, but has to drag along a young boy scout -- who accidentally stowed away in the house during the flight, a dog and a gigantic bird. It's clear that they mean nothing more to him than a hindrance in his quest to drag his house to the falls. He's crotchety, Muntz is downright mean, and every other character in the film are viewed by both men as little more than nuisances.

Goals can do that, you know. They can become so consuming, so idolatrous, that everything else in life fades away. While I encourage you all to be goal setters, to be determined in your pursuit of goals, don't let that pursuit cause you to disregard the people in your life. Don't become so bent on achievement that you become a pain to the folks around you. Life is too short and no goal is too great to allow us to step on others.

Go see the movie if you haven't. While it's not one of Pixar's greatest (That honor goes to Monsters Inc), it is certainly a story that can get you to think, and while you're on your way Up, it just may keep you from putting others down.

It's Your Team, What Will You Make it?

2009-06-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Entering into my 20th year of coaching (that's 40 seasons!), I'm still amazed at the process of team building. At the core, it's what coaching is all about ... anyone can do the "X's and 0's", but can you pull a group of disparate individuals and make them a team? Can you get folks who are naturally on their own page and put them on the same one? Can you get soloists to sing in unison?

These are the yearly questions I face and they are a yearly challenge.

But the more I coach the more I realize the job of making a team from individuals doesn't rest on me alone. Sure, I'll work hard toward the goal. I'll do what I can to pull and prod and push the scattered cattle into a herd. But here's the catch. The cattle have minds of their own. And sometimes despite my best efforts, we run the risk that by the season's end, it just may not be.

So this is for you. You, the runner, the teammate. What will YOU do to make this a better team this season? What will you bring to the group that helps smooth the rough spots, paint over the cracks, patch the wounds and repair the hurt feelings? Will you be someone that makes others on the team WANT to come to practice, or will your attitudes, words and actions make others think twice about showing up?

High School girls have a tendency to be "drama queens." They're good at talking behind others' backs, running in cliques and exagerrating the faults of others. Such drama is poison to a team. I have NEVER -- EVER! -- seen a team infected by drama or led by drama queens, succeed. It's a guarantee to fail. Drama makes everyone miserable, including those who dish it.

Guys are prone to be cut-throat. They like "one-upping" their teammates and are married to the pecking order. "That freshman isn't going to beat me!" some say. Where girls talk behind others' backs, guys will just stab them in the back. They can and do take lessons on clique building from the girls.

So here we go ... King XC's 11th season is dawning. If you're reading this, you are probably going to be one of the members of the team.

And it's going to be YOUR team. What will you make it? What contributions will you bring that will lift us up or tear us down? Will you work diligently, daily, to make our team more of a unit, or will you be one of those heads of cattle that is head strong, willing to see things only your way, and in the process you'll go your own way thank-you-very-much. (And while you're at it, you'll convince a couple of others to go with you).

Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest coaches of any sport once said, "Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a civilization work." True words.

But the opposite is true too, when "Individual commitment to individual effort, that's what destroys a team ..." and it's THAT that is the yearly risk and challenge of throwing a bunch of individuals together and calling them a team.

You can call them a team, or any other title you want, but what makes them a team is the consistent individual willingess to sacrifice one self for the good of the others.

Are you willing to do that this season? Are you willing to swallow your pride, your ego, your comfort zone; to blend your passions and desires with others' which might not be like yours, for the betterment of our team?

If you are, then I promise you this 11th season of KXC will be like none other. If you aren't I promise you a miserable season ... for yourself and for everyone around you.

It's your team, what will you make it?

The Voice of a Father

2009-06-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

Today's my dad's birthday. I won't say what number it is since reminders tend to annoy him. Let's just say he's had a long life, and a good one.

I owe my running to my dad. Back in the 70's when the "running boom" was hitting the US like some pre-Oprah inspired craze, my dad jumped on that bandwagon and beat the drum into my two sisters and I. We were living in Nepal at the time, and I can still remember my dad organizing little road races for the students in the Wycliffe Bible Translator's school where he served as principal. I always got beat by my older sister, but somehow the memory that serves me most readily of those races was getting a little ribbon at the conclusion and seeing the monkeys roam around the Buddhist temple we ran out to and back from. Strange, I know, but that's my story.

Ribbons and monkeys aside, I really didn't like running. I was in elementary school at the time, and getting beat by your big sister, (and occasionally my younger sister too!) was humiliating even at 6 or 7. We came home to the States in 1974, the year before Steve Prefontaine's death and the heyday of Frank Shorter and Bill Rogers. My dad kept beating that running drum on into my junior high years and for the most part it just gave me a headache. He'd take us down to the track at California High School in Whittier and run laps with us. I'd cry. I hated it. As part of the school's PE program, we were occasionally timed for a mile and I remember running 5:58. It was an accomplishment, but not big enough to make me like running. I was stubborn.

I'll never forget a conversation we had near the end of 8th grade at the kitchen table. Dad told me that once I started high school I would have to be involved in some extracurricular activity. I guess I had few options, and maybe now that I look back at it, he knew that. I was all of 5-5 and 120 pounds and afraid of getting hit, so football was out. My adventures in piano and accordion lessons (yes, accordion, that was my mom's fault) never worked out, and lets just say when God handed out the whole "eye-hand-coordination" thingy, I was in the bathroom. So that left cross country.

But I don't like running!

Get over it.

So there I was in my short-shorts (hey, it was cool in 1980!) on the first day of summer practice. Nervous, yet eager to prove myself. We went for a seven-miler that day, a "lets see who's been running this summer" kind of run. The competitor in me drove me, despite the discomfort, and I finished near the front of the group.

I was hooked.

I went home and proudly gave my dad a play-by-play of the whole run. I don't recall what his response was, but he must have smiled.

For the next four years I ran. Like most kids, I had highs and lows, good races and bad. But one thing remains today, as clear in my mind as if 1983 were just yesterday: His voice.

That voice, above all others, carried. It was at every single meet I ran, never missed one of them. It was cheering, encouraging. It was loud. Not once was I told I had a bad race, even when I did. I heard his words of support even before I heard my coach's. They could cut through the pain and push their way through the exhaustion.

The air on which the words carried became a tail wind. In those lonely, painful third miles, they'd get me to the finish line.

Had it not been for the push my dad gave me so long ago, a significant part of my life wouldn't have been formed. Running became a part of my identity, even more so than it was part of my dad's. But through the last two decades we have shared pieces of the sport, including running the LA Marathon together in 1987. In 1996, when I ran the 100th Boston Marathon, he came along to lend that voice at the finish once again. He has on occasion traveled to Fresno to cheer on my cross country teams at the State meet and to Walnut for the CIF Finals. Though his voice at those meets wouldn't rise to a shout, when the last of my kids had crossed the line and the score had been tallied, he was always quick to offer praise or a simple "good job, Bradley".

Now drenched in a coach's sweat, that tail wind of my younger days has become a refreshing breeze.

And it pushes me on, still, in the miles we cover together today. Life is like a long distance race, how great it is to have a cheerleader, someone to shout from the side lines, "You can do it!" My dad has been that for me for 43 years. And for that, I'm eternally grateful.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Living a Life that Matters.

2009-06-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

I know it's been almost a month since my last post here, but I'm hesitant to post "just anything" or to be pithy for the sake of posting. So I apologize if you think this blog has died, it hasn't I'm just waiting for some inspiration.

That inspiration came when I stumbled upon this charge to live a life that matters. Read it, be motivated! It is written by Michael Josephson.

"Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters."

My Mom

2009-05-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

15 years ago this June, my mom died of cancer. Today is Mothers Day, and so I'm naturally thinking of that ugly time and hideous desease that took my beautiful mom's life. She was 54.

I can say that the years since her passing have allowed me to reflect more on her legacy than on the sting of her death. She was a great mom.

As my sisters and I went through school, I remember asking her once what she majored in in college. She was quick to reply that she studied "Home Economics". When I asked why, she said with great certitude, "So that I could become a better mother." Though she adored my dad, she loved us three kids incredibly. I never doubted that.

I think I got much of my tenacity and drive from my dad. He was a hard worker, like the Energizer Bunny of a few years ago, my dad just seemed to keep "going and going and going." I'm sometimes caught up with that spirit in my work and life.

But my mom was a softy. She could cry on a dime, was very tenderhearted and filled with compassion. I'm hopeful that there is some of that in me. I know this for sure, one of my mom's favorite pasttimes was drinking coffee and enjoying a scone. Sadly, she died before Starbucks was a ubiquitous establishment. She would have loved Starbucks. I think of her often when I can sneak away for a Saturday morning cup of coffee there. I order a scone in her honor.

More than coffee and fattening foods though, my mom (and dad for that matter) instilled in me the importance of leaving an impact. To live life not in pursuit of selfish endeavors but rather in things that last. It was at her direction that I was taught to be kind to my sisters, even when I didn't want to be. It was her constant smile, even when life was hard, that has reminded me to be joyful. It was her sacrifice of part time work -- "so I can be home when you get home from school" -- that taught me that material gain matters little. She modeled faith, hope and love like well-worn hand-me-downs; on loan from her parents, she passed them on to me. It was at her side that I was taught the faith that grows in me still. I hope to pass it on to the granddaughter she never got to meet.

My mom lived a very simple life, one of deep and abiding faith, love for her husband and her kids, and an appreciation for the things that really mattered. She was terribly grounded, in a very good way. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to be raised in the home she made, for at heart, she was the quintessential homemaker.

Having worked part time at a bank and devoted herself to teaching Sunday school and the raising of her three kids, one might have understood had her death been humbly noted by a few people. What a jolt it was to see close to 1500 people attend her memorial service. I stammered and choked my way through a few remarks about my mom, all the while wondering, "how could a woman of such simple means have had such an impact on so many people?"

I guess I'm still trying to come to a clear answer on that, but I'm closer than ever to understanding the truth behind this statement, "that those who wish to find their lives must lose them."

My mom had, in a sense, "lost her life" long before she had lost it. She had "lost herself" in others, in giving sacrificially, in serving her family and God. She was a very special person.

Athletes, I hope you'll pause in the busyness of being a teenager to consider what your mom does for you. No mom is perfect, mine certainly had her flaws. But most moms work really hard to nurture, guide, instruct and push their kids to increase their opportunities in life.

I know mine did. And for that I'm very grateful.

Toughness ... I'm just going to go for it.

2009-04-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

Before I came to King, I was the head coach at Ayala High School in Chino Hills and had the pleasure of coaching a bunch of really good kids and great runners. One of those was Greg Harris who I saw thru his junior year before I jumped ship to come to Riverside.

I liked Greg right away. He was a quiet, unassuming guy, but willing to do whatever it took to succeed, and in fact he did! He wasn't oozing talent like a few do; he had a PR at MT.SAC in the mid-16:00's as I recall and ran 16:26 at Woodward Park in Fresno. But he made the most with what he had, and you could count on Greg to take it hard all the way to the line and not leave anything behind.

He was fun to watch ... even more fun to coach.

Greg's now 26 and living in Utah, married and a father. He's doing well. He ran in college and has recently taken up marathoning, and on Monday of this week, he ran the 113th Boston Marathon. I looked up his result, 2:46:29 (6:21 per mile for 26.2 miles! ... and Boston is NOT flat) and was impressed so emailed him with my congratulations.

He replied with a note and a copy of a blog he had written about his race experience. It is a powerful piece ... a great description of a tough guy fighting through a tough day and, typically, giving it everything he had.

I encourage you to read it. I've highlighted some parts that jumped off the screen at me and hopefully will inspire and motivate you as well. Look for, especially, how determined he was to not let a "poor pace" linger. I wish you all could have met Greg, but maybe through these words of his, you'll get a glimpse of why he made Ayala Cross Country a much better team. And yes, I got his approval to post this.

If I seem a little disappointed with the results, the race was still a great experience. First let me say how awesome Boston is. They support their sports teams and this race in an unbelievable way.

Part 1:
miles 0-10. I went out at a 6:05. I don't have all of my splits because my Garmin lost reception. There was a big pack of 25 or so that formed. We hit miles 2 and 3 in about 5:50 each. I knew that this was a little fast for my fitness. So I looked back to see if there was another pack to drop back to. Nope, just small groups. I realized that with the wind picking up that 5:50 miles in this pack was going to be as easy and 6:00 miles on my own. So i hung in there. It was not too hard, but i knew that it would take its toll. Then i thought, this is Boston, I may never do this again. I am just going to go for it. So the pack kept rolling along. We hit mile 10 in 59 minutes and change.

Part 2:
Miles 10-18 At mile 10, the club runners that were leading the pack decided to bump it up to 5:40 pace. I knew that I would be dead by 15 if i went with them. So I held pace. However, the rest of the pack quickly dispersed. I tried to form little groups, but it did not work well. I was still feeling good though.

We went through Wellesley. That was cool. No kisses, just high 5's for me. One girl tried to jump out and grab me. I saw some girls that I would guess did not get any kisses despite their best efforts. I hit the half in just under 1:18. I knew that a reasonable positive split would give me 2:39-2:41. So I just kept rolling along. The hills started at 17. The first one was not too bad. However, the cold wind was really whipping around by now. I had ditched my long sleeve shirt, gloves, and beanie by mile 5.

Part 3:
Miles 18-26.4 Now the hills started to take their toll. By Heartbreak Hill, the wind was bad. I was running by myself. I could not latch on to the continuous small groups that was pass every minute or so. I dropped to about 7:00 pace. I knew that running 7:00 at mile 20 is not a good sign. That would mean 8:00 pace by the end. So I decided that would not happen today. It is probably the toughest that I have been tested mentally and physically. The hills ended, and at least I had some downhill to keep me moving. I also had my name written on my jersey, so the crowd kept me going. I started to get light-headed and dry-heaved from time to time. As i got closer to the finish line, I was counting down the minutes of pain left. We finally made the turn onto Bolyston Street. A couple of more groups passed me. The crowds were great. However, by that point, and for the last few miles, I had been getting light-headed and had blurry vision. I had been getting a lot of GU, water, and Gatorade, so I'm not sure why this happened. So i started to swerve and stagger as I came down the home stretch.

With less than 100m left, the announcer said, "Here comes Greg Harris in a tight race down the stretch!" I looked to my left. There was a guy that I shall name Mr. Lurpy. I did not have a lot of will power left, but I knew one thing. Mr Lurpy would not beat me today. After I looked over, Mr. Lurpy started kicking with his long lanky legs. I responded and barely got him at the line. Then I fell to my knees and stayed there for a minute. My final 10K was 43-44 min. Better than it could have gotten i guess.

Part 4:
Post-race "fun." After i got up, my world was spinning. I staggered around as many volunteers asked if i was OK. I said sure i have been "here" before. Cramped legs, cold clammy skin, and nausea. Sure, no problem. I was getting really cold by this time. The coldness started at about mile 15 and just got worse and worse. As i walked now, i heard spectators talking about how cold the wind was. I knew that my dad would not be done for 45 min. so I looked for a place to get warm. I saw the big med tent. I staggered in there and asked if i could sit down. They were concerned because i was pale and wobbly. So I sat down and closed my eyes. They kept trying to force broth down me. They took my temp and i was 92 degrees. They wanted to call my wife, lay me down, and maybe give my an IV. I declined and said I would be fine. They did not believe me and said that no one with a 92 degree temp. was fine. So I just sat there wrapped in 2 blankets for 45 min. At that time, I announced that I was leaving. They said no, your temp. is still only 94. I said, yes I am leaving. I have to meet my dad. I will never find him if i dont leave now. So the doctor agreed to sign it as she shook her head. I found my dad about 5 min. later, so I was glad that I had insisted on leaving. After another hour of riding on the subway and sitting in the hot tub (oh yeah! No ice bath for me!) I was good to go.

Now that I have had a day to reflect on the race, I am not as disappointed. I have learned that bad weather is just lame and it is what it is. My last 3 marathons have had lame weather. The thing that bugged me is that 2:39 would have gotten me 160th place. Add 7 minutes for my 2:46 and I got 322nd place. That sucks. But I am confident that I did the best I could have. I have no regrets. This is one of my only half or full marathons where I can honestly say that I could not have gone harder at any point in the race. That is satisfying to know. Now it is time to rest up and make one last BIG push at St. George.

U-Turns Allowed

2009-04-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

"No U-Turn Allowed."

We see these signs at intersections, usually posted when we need to make a U-turn the most. Ever thought about U-turns? Probably not, only when you need one. We purr along in our journey until something jolts us to the reality that we're headed in the wrong direction. "Oh shoooot" we might mutter, then immediately look for the next break in the median to swing a hard left and get back in the way we should go.

Charlie Alvarez knows of a couple of U-turns in his four years at King that have made all the difference. Fortunately for the talented and amiable senior, the 180 came early in his career. Since then, though his journey could not be described as cruising on "Easy Street," the path has been smoother and most-definitely headed in the right direction.

He has seen steady growth and maturity from that moment, so much so that those in observance might be heard muttering, "oh my!" The change was abrubt -- like a quick "u-ey" -- his acceleration has been steady.

Racing the distances, he has shown himself capable at every multi-lap event. His 9:44.35 3200 meter time is the third best in school history. He has a relay split for 1600 that sits at 4:34, it too would rank 3rd all-time. His 15:59 5000 meters is the school's best-ever.

Beyond the impressive marks he has recorded however, is an even more impressive distinction: Character. Where in his early years he seemingly sought to only be a character, his life now is marked by wanting to have character. He has matured a ton in these seasons. Resolved, he has endured the valleys and his life looks now as if it's on the ascent, slowly but surely scaling the heights of Mt. Integrity whose vistas are matched by none other.

So thank God for U-Turns. They are not always needed, but when they are, they are invaluable.

Just ask Charlie, who is certainly now headed in the right direction.

Faith in the System

2009-04-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

"I have a few sayings I have shared with her over the years, such as “the key to success is not working harder but working smarter.” She's really picking up on that one. I have asked her to have faith in the work we do to prepare for races, to have the patience to carry out the plan we come up with, and not to panic if things aren't going our way – we're smart enough to figure out something that will work."

The above quote comes from the coach of Jordan Hasay. You know, Jordan ... the really fast one with long blond hair. (On a trivial note, King ran in Jordan's HS debut, the Morro Bay Invitational, 2005. She won the girls' race by 800 meters and would have been 14th in the boys varsity race!).

It's great advice from a guy who has successfully guided the nation's top runner for the last four years. Did you read it? Did you get it? Read it again. The key to success is not working harder, but working smarter. Don't misunderstand him, he's not saying "hard work is the key to failure." It's a statement built on the assumption that hard work is already taking place. When it is, success won't come just because you work even harder. Instead, an intelligent approach to training the right way will bring the rewards.

After 20 years of coaching however, I'm convinced the second part of his quote is the more significant one. "I have asked her to have faith in the work we do to prepare for races, to have the patience to carry out the plan we come up with, and not to panic if things aren't going our way – we're smart enough to figure out something that will work."

My, so true.

A while back I had a conversation with one of our runners about my training philosophy. There had been a little disagreement over the path we were taking, and I said, "You know, our philosophy is a good one. It's produced good results in the past and will again in the future. No, it's not perfect, but no training plan is perfect. BUT, even if it was the "perfect system" it still wouldn't work if the athletes didn't have faith that it would.

We left it at that, but I hear those words echoed now in Jordan Hassay's coach.

Did you catch the key word in that quote? It is: "We". The success of Jordan -- or any athlete -- doesn't come alone, it comes from a relationship between -- at minimum -- the coach and the athlete in communication. Talking about goals, about strategy, about training, about life. Great athletes don't get there alone. It's always a team effort. No coach can read minds, and if the athletes don't communicate with their coach on matters of importance toward the desired results, a coach assumes there are no desired results. Silence is doubt. At best, it's apathy.

Some of us here at King have marveled at what Jordan Hassay has accomplished in her four years. What's her secret?

Is it talent? Partly.
Is it hard work? Certainly.
Is it great coaching? Perhaps.
Is it that she believes in what she's doing? According to her coach, yes.

As I think back over the last two decades and the athletes who have achieved success to the level of their high school potential, without exception, those athletes were ones who listened to and embraced our philosophy, applied their talent, worked hard and went for it. To this day I remember sitting in the bleachers at Walnut High School as a young man named Eric Loudon, grinning from ear to ear after running a PR in the 1600 at League Finals, yelled up to me, "It works, coach! it works!"

Well, our training worked because it was based on sound practice and physiological principles, but more so because Eric had the faith to believe it would.

It's working for Jordan too, and it can work for you.

Some Thoughts on our Week

2009-04-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

My shot of the day ... a Pack-o-beastly-studs.

As much as I dread the workload that comes with helping put on the King Classic every year, I've really grown to love the meet. There's something odd that happens when you remove the "prescribed order of things." What I mean is, sometimes runners fall into the trap of thinking, "Well, so-and-so is in this race and I neeeever beat that person, so there's no way I could right now, blah, blah, blah".

When those so-and-so's are juniors and seniors, and therefore not entered in the meet, it can leave some to excel to even higher levels. I think we saw that again yesterday.

So some observations and thoughts ...

Lane Werley had a tremendous week. 4:29 on Wednesday, good training thru to Saturday, then another 4:29 despite "feeling dead" on Saturday. What do we keep telling you guys about the importance of being STRONG? Lane showed how strong he is this week. When them legs of his are fresh, he's gonna fly.

Daniel Balcazar was doing the same ... 2:03 Wednesday, a pr, then 2:01 Saturday, the #3 all time mark in school history. He's having a GREAT season in the half!

Hanna Peterson is just plain-old studly! I love the way she just goes for it on race day! She runs a meet record of 5:18 (broke Kelsi's meet record from last year at 5:22) racing at the front the whole way. Then comes back and scores in the 800 and holds up a leg in the 4x400! This after doing the interval workout this week on Friday! She's a beast! (and I say that in a very girly beast sort of way). :)

Devin Becerra now has the #2 all time freshman mark in the 16 and the 32! I'm hoping he gets both records this season. They've stood there long enough.

Have you seen our boys 1600? How many guys this season have cracked 5:00? We had SIX on Saturday alone, with Aaron Youngren (remember where Aaron was just last track season? Oh my!) PR'ing at 4:52, Nick Rini dropping a PR and Adam Schupp going 4:55 to make him the #6 All Time Freshman at King! Marc Jimenez slipped under 5:00. I need to count it to be sure, but I think we have 12 guys BELOW 5:00 in the 1600 this season! Most are coming back. Sweet! Can you start salivating right now over what kind of cross country team we're shaping up to have next Fall?

Ethan McAbeast went 5:14 (remember him last Fall? Oh my again!), Rafi PR'd at 5:07. Incredible stuff. Joey Tompkins who just a few weeks ago was on the dark side of 6:00 is now in the 5:40's!

Taylar Amiot was all smiles after her race with a PR in the 1600.

Aubrey Bowman matched her season's best in the 3200 at 12:19.

Really good stuff is happening. Why? Hard work. Willing attitudes. Coachable spirits.

It was a great conclusion to a great week.

25 Things about CP

2009-03-27T10:15:00.001-07:00

My goal in starting this blog some 18 months ago was to highlight our kids and our community and running. It really hasn't and isn't about me. This post will be different, but hopefully it will be helpful for some of you.

Since we spend so much time together, maybe this will help you figure out some of what makes me tick. The inspiration comes from Facebook, where it seems everyone is all gaga about posting 25 random things about themselves.

So I've been tagged, it's my turn. Here goes 25 in no particular order.

1. I've run 8 marathons over 25 years of running. Fastest was 2:48:11 in San Jose.
2. I've actually cried during a race ... Sacramento Marathon, when it hit me that I was actually going to break 3:00 for the first time.
3. I HATED running when my dad first forced me to do it as a child.
4. I LOVE my dad for forcing me to run as a child. I can't imagine my life without it.
5. When the girl I invited to go to prom said no, I spent the money I would have spent on tickets on the latest and greatest pair of Nike running shoes. (1983, $85!). When I went to the store to make my "grief purchase" they didn't have my size so I bought a pair a half-size too small. Every time I wore those shoes my toes reminded me that I had been rejected!
6. I spent 3 years of my childhood living in Khatmandu, Nepal. My parents were missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Even as a little kid, the experience changed my life.
7. I could eat pizza all day.
8. I stocked shelves at Ralphs Grocery in Whittier for my first "real job" after high school. I'm glad that didn't work out for me...
9. My favorite movies were the Indiana Jones Trilogy ... until they came out with the fourth last year. What was up with that???
10. Best movie of all time? Toss up: Saving Private Ryan or Gandhi. Yea, I like the history epics.
11. Event that changed the course of my life: 8th grade "historic trip" to Washington DC and surrounding places of history. Toured the Gettysburg battlefield in a bus ... though I tried to act like the backgammon games going on in the back of the bus were more interesting, I was actually taken by what I saw outside the windows. Little did I know that experience would grow into a love affair with US history and a career teaching it.
12. Two sisters, one older, one younger. That makes me the middle child. Does that count as #13?
13. I'm not good at math. Not good at all.
14. My older sister and my dad are quite talented artists. I was always jealous of that ability growing up since I couldn't quite seem to get beyond the doodle. I found photography in the 1990's and now I can do art. I think Photoshop is a gift from God.
15. I'm still not ashamed to say I watch Survivor. Yea, I know, it's not total reality, but as far as game shows go, it still rocks. I would love to be on it, but know that I'd probably be voted off the island early.
16. I was born with severly bow-legged legs (is that redundant?) that required boots and braces (yea, kindof like Forrest Gump but without the heavy metal) until I was two.
17. I met my wife in high school. Got to know her in government class ... mainly because the teacher would let us talk a lot as I recall. Glad he did.
18. Riverside was not a destination to which I wanted to live. We came here from Whittier (the land of Nixon!) to afford a house, thought we'd always "go back" but we've been here since 1991. Go figure.
19. Best hamburger I've ever eaten (and I've eaten a lot of them) was in a small cafe that doubled as a local art gallery on Orcas Island in Puget Sound of Washington State.
20. If I could do one thing more often in life it would be TRAVEL. I wish I had the time and the money to just wander and go places I've never been.
21. I try and read 10 books a year. I'm currently on Pillar of Fire. It's long and a bit too dense, but I'll finish it.
22. Despite number 20, I really am at my core, a "home body." I love being home. My wife has made it a very warm and comfortable place to be.
23. When I fly on planes I love the window seat. I spend a lot of time looking out the window, looking for landmarks and wondering, "what are all those people up to down there?
24. My best friend -- besides my wife -- is a guy I've been friends with since we were in 7th grade, all the way back to 1978! 31 years!
25. I proposed to my wife at mile 13 of the 1987 LA Marathon.

Rebecca, Reborn

2009-03-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

A really cool and new thing happened this week. Well, not exactly "new, new", but it was more than enough to remind us of what we've been missing, a glow that lit up our competitions of months-past with the light of inspiration and admiration. That light had been all but extinguished by the darkness of disappointment and dire days. But there in the night sky Saturday, circling the Cal State Fullerton track 12 times 'round, we saw illumination again.

Rebecca Asplund is back.

I'm convinced that part of the purpose of memory is to give greater meaning to the present day. Rebecca's recent memories of her running have not been pleasant ones. Due to a variety of circumstances, her Fall cross country campaign was one in which she and everyone who loved her wished could have just been waived. It was plain old tough going, there's no other way of describing it. Her heart longed for those easy runs, those glorious races. Such dances with talent had gone away. Far away. From August to November of 2008, her daily dose of reality was hard runs and frustrating races. Knowing how much she loves running and truly wants to pursue its rewards, it was heartbreaking to see her go through what she endured last Fall.

But those painful memories, transposed onto what we see happening now, are making the "now" light up the night sky. Scampering lightly Saturday night in a collegiate 5K in Fullerton, the Rebecca Asplund of yesteryear was reborn. She flitted across the track. Dropping opponents and seconds, the sweat that poured from her was not beading into a pool of disappointment as it had all last season, it splashed off the track just as her spikes sparkled in the stadium lights. Gone were the heavy legs and heavier heart.

Rebecca is reborn.

She's been a tireless worker from the moment she arrived at King. Having given up her childhood pursuit of high-level softball, she dove into this new sport of distance running with a dimpled smile and a can-do attitude. She excelled early and often. She played the part of "perfect teammate" and "competitive warrior" simultaneously and did both with class.

But that hard work wouldn't cut it last Fall. The dead leaves of autumn seemed to illustrate what last season would become: a slow but inevitable fall to earth. A cold winter of wondering blew in.

But with spring comes hope. Despite the lingering doubts that littered her mind, Rebecca did what Rebecca does best ... she got back at it, determined to succeed. Through the early weeks of this year we saw the sprouts of new life, but she and we knew only one thing would prove the rebirth. Race day.

That day came this week. First in a frolicing two races against Chaparral when the smile on her face replaced the furrowed brow of before. Then again on Saturday, with 12 laps and collegiate competitors to go, she burst forth with an incredible race, proving with a wail of glee that perseverence and determination are not dead and the past does not spell the now and that the old can become new again.

Life springs eternal.

What a week. Welcome back, Rebecca!

What's The Purpose of This?

2009-02-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

Every now and then -- not often -- a kid will ask me "what's this for?" in regards to a training run or workout. It's a good question, I love 'em, because they beat the statement some make which goes, "you runners, all you guys do is just go out an' jog, right???" Uh, wrong.

What we do has purpose. What we do is part of a bigger plan to produce prodigious performances. (I didn't have to say it that way, but it looked cool on the screen so I went with it.)

Like today. We did a funky, kind of odd workout, one that would seem, well, like, "what's the purpose of this?" Hill sprints. 3 of them. Uh, why?

Read this to get the answer!

Spoiled ... How Sweet it Is

2009-02-15T15:31:00.000-08:00

I have to admit,I'm a bit spoiled. No, not in the traditional sort of way, where I get whatever I want, whenever I want it. I don't throw fits when my way isn't the way, but yea, I'm spoiled.

It dawned on me about dawn this morning. There I was, on the lonely Highway 111 headed toward Palm Springs at 0-dark-100. The eastern horizon went from a low glow to an orange slice, cut only by the dark desert that stretched out before me. My headlights cut an amber v-section out on the pavement. Ahead of me, beyond the high beams, awaited the Palm Springs Half Marathon and assembled there were some 15 teenagers, awaiting the start of the race. To get there on time, most had rolled out of bed before 5:00 am. On a Sunday.

Distance running is not the easiest of sports. I watch some other activities at school where most of those involved seem to do a lot of standing around watching the talented ones actually practice. Our's is a sport that doesn't naturally attract teenagers. Here in SoCal, we're known for chillin' at the mall or hangin' in front of our Xboxes. But get up before the crack of dawn and drive an hour to Palm Springs to run a race? Are you kiddin' me?

But there they were. No kidding. Ready to go, smiles on their morning faces, eager to push themselves. They had formed a number of relay teams, each dividing the 13.1 mile race into thirds. They all raced well. They took home medals and memories.

I took home a sense of spoiledness. How many coaches are as blessed am I? Maybe a bunch, I don't know, but I do know this: I'm enjoying every crack of daylight. Those routine rays shine brightly on what are increasingly good days, filled with uncommon kids, doing uncommon things.

If that ain't spoiled, I don't know what is.

Pacing is Everything!

2009-02-14T15:30:00.000-08:00

Pacing is everything! We've preached this for 10 seasons now, but every now and then we get an example of exactly how it's done.

Below are the splits from Galen Rupp's recent INDOOR 5K national record. The laps are short, usually about 200 meters. But look closely at the numbers in parentheses(33.11, etc.) Thos are his lap splits on the way to a national record.

Notice they don't start fast, slow down, then speed up. They are all within 1.5 seconds of his first lap, until he starts kicking with 600 meters to go.

Impressive!

What's it mean to you? We'll be starting track training -- meaning on the track -- in a couple of weeks. Will you train to race like Rupp? You think he managed that consistency on race day by being all over the place in practice? Make a goal, make a goal.
2 RUPP
Galen Oregon Lane: 11 13:18.12
33.11 (33.11) ,1:06.17 (33.07) ,1:38.51 (32.34) ,2:11.46 (32.96)
,2:43.93 (32.47) ,3:16.30 (32.37) ,3:47.92 (31.62) ,4:19.77 (31.85)
,4:52.54 (32.78) ,5:23.80 (31.26) ,5:54.64 (30.85) ,6:26.95 (32.32)
,6:59.57 (32.62) ,7:31.63 (32.07) ,8:02.99 (31.36) ,8:35.32 (32.33)
,9:08.48 (33.16) ,9:40.78 (32.30) ,10:13.48 (32.71) ,10:46.12 (32.64)
,11:18.34 (32.22) ,11:49.92 (31.59) ,12:21.13 (31.21) ,12:50.85 (29.73)
,13:18.12 (27.27)

An Olympic Evening

2009-02-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Ruth Wysocki, the 1984 1500 meter and 800 meter Olympian paid us a visit the other night and serenaded us with stories of her running career. What a privilege it was! Ruth started running, kind of "by accident" and quickly discovered she liked winning the ribbons and medals that came with top placing at age-group meets. From there she ran on the boys team at her high school (girls didn't run much in those days and had few opportunities to race) and ultimately ended up running for Vince O'Boyle at UC Irvine. O'Boyle has been the coach of King alums Megan Fairley and Brian Brierly as well.

Her stories culminated with her upset victory in the 1500 meter Olympic Trials in '84. She beat the presumed favorite, Mary Decker, who held 17 national records and hadn't been beaten in 5 years! She was the reigning World Champion at the distance. None of that fazed Wysocki however, and with 300 to go, she punched it and raced Decker side-by-side for the last lap, edging into the lead with only 10 meters to go. It was an upset of upsets and catapulted her into the Olympic Games in Los Angeles where she would finish in the top 8 of both the 800 and 1500 meter races.

Funny, engaging and informative, the night was one to remember!

2007 BLOOD:WATER MISSION Project Update

2009-01-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

Many of you can remember the season of 2007 in which we participated in a couple of community service projects, one of which was raising over $2,000 for BloodWater:Mission, an organization that works to dig drinking water wells in Africa. Their organization also works to provide AIDS relief across the continent.

Some exciting national news has come out of the organization, and by extension, our fundraising efforts as well.

Recently a documentary has been released called, SONS OF LWALA. "It tells the story of Vanderbilt University Medical School students Milton and Fred Ochieng’, two brothers from Kenya whose village sent them to America to become doctors. After losing both parents to AIDS, they are left with the heartbreaking task of returning home to finish the health clinic their father started before getting sick. Unable to raise enough money on their own, the brothers are joined by students, politicians and rock musicians who put on fundraising drives throughout the United States through Blood:Water Mission's support. SONS OF LWALA follows Milton and Fred on their incredible journey as they find a way, despite all odds, to open their village’s first hospital." - (bloodwatermission.org)

Here's the trailer to the film, and below it a link to the ABC News story




The brothers will be featured on ABC's World News with Charlie Gibson tonight, January 30 at 6:45PM (PST) as the program's "Persons of the Week."

Click here to read the ABC News story.

All State Honors

2009-01-25T17:36:00.000-08:00

For the first time in King High's 10 year history, the cross country teams notched three All-State Selections in a single season. The most previously was in 2006 when Kelsi Tippets and Carissa Bowman earned the distinction.

Congratulations to Lane Werley, Devin Becerra and Kelsi Tippets for working their way to the top of their individual grade levels in the entire state of California!

Read what dyestatcal.com had to say about each:

Kelsi Tippets (ML King, Riverside-SS) - Kelsi had a couple of super efforts when it counted, with a fifth in the tough Section Division I Finals and top 25 finish at the State Meet.

Lane Werley (King HS, Riverside-SS) -- A convert from basketball the sensational youngster revealed great promise for the future with multiple quality races, including a fine 15:56 at the Clovis Invitational.

Devin Becerra (ML King, Riverside-SS) -- While teammate Lane Werley caught our eye early in 2008, Devin moved into the frame by late season too. His 16:44 run at the early-season Mt. Carmel Invitational showed promise, with a 16:32 run on the state meet course fulfilling those views.

We Have Only Our Bodies

2009-01-14T09:26:00.001-08:00

Three days after Martin Luther King heard the call to carry on, the local KKK threw a bomb on the porch of King's home, exploding and ripping a hole in the front wall. Fortunately no one was injured in the blast, but the gauntlet had been thrown down.

Calling or not, the message was clear: You and your kind are not wanted.

A crowd of angry protesters assembled on the lawn that night, armed and dangerous, seeking retribution. Above the shouts and expletives, King's voice rose and called for calm. He asked the throng to put away their guns, love their enemies, turn the other cheek. "We cannot solve this problem through retaliatory voilence" he said as a cocktail of dynamite and vengence stirred the night air. "We must meet violence with non violence. Remember the words of Jesus: 'He who lives by the sword will perish by the sword.'" Then, like throwing moral salt into the open wounds, he finished with "We must make them know that we love them. Jesus still cries out in words that echo across the centuries: 'Love your enemies; bless them that curse you ...' This is what we must live by. We must meet hate with love."

His message was clear: Me and my kind will not be moved.

As a student of Gandhi, a nonviolent approach to segregation had been percolating in King's mind for some time, but the radical call to withhold the counter strike met one of its first real tests that ugly night. As the splinters and dust settled and by the time the crowd deflated and dispersed, a movement unlike any other was born. The foot soldiers would carry only their bodies into battle. Evil would be met with love. Fists with faces. Teeth with legs. Though history has shown that revolutions are fought with guns, and fire is fought with more fire, this one would be different ... and very difficult. It would be an "Anti-Revolution" and King was betting that despite the difficulties it would ultimately prevail.

When tested and tired, King returned to his home. While accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, he recalled that reference point, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. "When the years have rolled past" King said, "and when the blazing light of truth is focused on this marvelous age in which we live, men and women will know and children will be taught that we have a finer land, a better people, a more noble civilization, because these humble children of God were willing to 'suffer for righteousness sake.'"

All of that sounds well and good until you get to the "suffering" part. Most of us don't like to suffer, most of all me. Why else do we have pills and air conditioning? Truth is, that part was a hard sell for King too. Though many signed on to suffer with him for righteousness, many gagged on it or balked. In a tense meeting with the double-crossing mayor of Chicago who reneged on a promise to let them march, King explained the weariness that comes in doing the hard thing:

"Let me say that if you are tired of demonstrations, I am tired of demonstrating. I am tired of the threat of death. I want to live, I don't want to be a martyr. ...I am tired of getting hit, tired of being beaten, tired of going to jail. " But then, pulling out his ultimate weapon, he said,"Now gentlemen, you know we don't have much. We don't have much money. We don't really have much education, and we don't have political power. We have only our bodies and you are asking us to give up the one thing that we have when you say, 'don't march.'"

Ouch. Moved, the mayor changed course and the bodies marched. Score one for the unarmed foot soldiers.

It is difficult (perhaps impossible) for those of us in 21st Century Southern California to really imagine the plight of African Americans who lived in the South in the middle of the last century. The violence perpetrated by racists is sick enough to leave unmentioned here. The KKK was given by local governments "free passes" to do as they pleased to demonstrators prior to the police moving in. The FBI, like so many holders of power then, was bent. Even President Kennedy, with his own secrets to hide, was made to realize it'd be in his best interests to stall a civil rights bill King had personally pleaded with him to enact. The Sixties were stained with the sins of pride and racism. To be in the trenches of that fight was to sign up for suffering. Some survived, some didn't.

But the movement King led did survive, and perhaps it's life was best summed up in a speech King gave on the steps of the State Capitol building in Montgomery, after one of the largest and most brutal marches recorded. 25,000 folks were tired, not just of the march, but of marching. Yet it was again the hope of victory, the assurance of victory that Martin Luther King offered them that lifted their spirits. He finished his thoughts this way:

"I know you are asking today, "How long will it take?" Somebody’s asking, "How long will prejudice blind the visions of men, darken their understanding, and drive bright-eyed wisdom from her sacred throne?" ...Somebody’s asking, ... How long will justice be crucified, and truth bear it?"

I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, because "truth crushed to earth will rise again."
How long? Not long, because "no lie can live forever."
How long? Not long, because "you shall reap what you sow."
How long? Not long: Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne, Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, Keeping watch above his own.
How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. How long? Not long, because 'Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on. He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat. O, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant my feet! Our God is marching on.

Glory, hallelujah!
Glory, hallelujah!
Glory, hallelujah!
Glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on."

Had the crowd not already been on it's feet, it would have stood. Tired and sore marchers were reminded that the God of the moral universe marched with them. A banner of truth unfurled and flapped in the Southern breeze.

Carry on!

A Kitchen Table Calling

2009-01-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

In her great, recent work titled Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin paints a glowing portrait of her subject, Abraham Lincoln. Lately the book has attracted a large national audience as President Elect Obama has been observed creating with inspiration his own "team of rivals" for his cabinet.

Lincoln is described in Team as a man of relentless ambition. In a letter written to the folks of Sangamon County during his first-ever campaign Lincoln wrote, "Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. ...I can say for one that I have no other ambition so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem. How far I shall succeed in gratifying this ambition, is yet to be developed." Sadly the youthful Lincoln wondered if he had missed his moment, he "worried that 'the field of glory' had been harvested by the founding fathers, that nothing had been left for his generation but modest ambitions." Despite that dour outlook, his ambition to make something of himself carried him. Once, while in a severe depression that left Lincoln bedridden and others wondering if he should perish, he was able to muster on, for "I had done nothing to make any human being remember that I have lived."

Of course the history of the 1850's and '60's had different ideas for the politician. That old fear of Old Abe's was proven unfounded as that ambition would catapult him to the nation's highest office. In the midst of America's darkest hour, marked by Blue and Grey and Black, he would claim for his own the light of America's greatest achievement.

In August of 1963, Martin Luther King stood in the literal and figurative shadow of Lincoln's esteem to deliver his epic I have a Dream speech. With the soaring granite memorial to the Great Emancipator behind him, Dr. King's soaring eloquence spoke of a legacy and a dream, of a past and a future, of undeniable ideals left unfulfilled. Though the echoes of Lincoln reverberated in King's magisterial speech, the journey King took to reach that pinnacle could not have been more unlike Lincoln's. Where Lincoln was driven to great heights, King was called.

Martin Luther King Jr's desire had always been to simply preach just as his father and grandfather had done in Georgia. It was in his genes. While in his early twenties, the younger Martin moved to the North to attend seminary, met the beautiful Coretta, and was soon married. Only a dissertation short of graduation, an opportunity came to hold his own pulpit in Alabama and given the "stodgy wealth" of the Dexter Avenue Baptist congregation, he figured there would be a number of nice fringe benefits to go along with the gig. He took the job and quickly settled into writing sermons and church budgets.

Of course the history of the 1950's and '60's had different ideas for the preacher. That comfortable, promising career of young Martin vanished in the midst of another dark hour marked by tear gas, gunfire and German Shepherds. But it was through that fiery trial that Martin Luther King Jr. would be catapulted to heights of his own, and in so doing he ushered in the light of America's new morning. The daybreak of equality was cracking through the darkness of history.

All sunrises begin in the dark of night and it was no different for King. While leading the Montgomery bus boycott in 1956 -- a responsibility he accepted reluctantly -- the weight of death threats and the fear of what could happen to his infant daughter and wife shoved King to the cliff of capitulation. It was still early in the movement, but he frankly had enough and the comforts of preaching to a well-clad and receptive audience each Sunday at Dexter Ave. was alluring. Unable to sleep, he arose, poured some coffee, and sat at his kitchen table running through a mental Rolodex of options. King described what happened that night:

"And I sat at that table thinking about that little girl and thinking about the fact that she could be taken away from me any minute. And I started thinking about a dedicated, devoted and loyal wife, who was over there asleep. … And I got to the point that I couldn't take it anymore. I was weak. … And I discovered then that religion had to become real to me, and I had to know God for myself. And I bowed down over that cup of coffee. I never will forget it. … I prayed a prayer, and I prayed out loud that night. I said, "Lord, I'm down here trying to do what's right. I think I'm right. I think the cause that we represent is right. But Lord, I must confess that I'm weak now. I'm faltering. I'm losing my courage." … And it seemed at that moment that I could hear an inner voice saying to me, "Martin Luther, stand up for righteousness. Stand up for justice. Stand up for truth. And lo I will be with you, even until the end of the world." … I heard the voice of Jesus saying still to fight on. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone. No never alone. No never alone. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone."

King's rise to greatness would not be a Lincolnian quest to live a life worthy of history's esteem. Rather, as darkness swirled about him, it would be a still small voice that jarred him into accepting his new reality. In the coming years, as despair would creep in, it would be that call of God that compelled him to deny himself and take up the cross of someone larger than himself. It would be an anchor through the storms of the civil rights movement that not only held him firm, but changed the nation as well.

Today, if you visit the Rosa Parks Institute in Montgomery, there is a sizable display in the museum to the "kitchen table" moment in Martin Luther King's life. Gazing upon it, one is confronted with how simple and serene it looks. It is not a grand stage or platform from which momentous events are launched. Absent are the trappings of power, prestige or office. It is a humble place. It is quiet.

But from the solitude of that little room came big things. Over a cooling cup of coffee, at a little kitchen table, a theological template for political action had been born. The voice of redemption was heard. America owes a debt of gratitude to the Call young Martin heard that night and to the courage he showed to follow it's voice.

Mileage Kings and Queens

2009-01-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

We've been preaching for a decade now how success in distance running is almost always connected to the amount of miles one trains. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, the axiom "more is better" is more often than not, true.

So to that end we started asking our runners to record their miles all year. The calendar clicks on, their running should as well. The reward, other than tremendous improvement in the sport, would be a patch for their letter-jackets should they reach pleateaus arbitrarly set at round numbers above 700.

This season's "long milers" are:
Brandon Rogers: 1000
Devin Becerra: 900
Charlie Alvarez: 900
Jared Nocella: 900
Rebecca Asplund: 800
Derek Nelson: 800
Carrie Soholt: 700

And in a strange coincidental way, this is this blog's 100th post! (Ok, it isn't that strange)

AP XC

2008-12-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

Last night at the Awards presentation, I was struck again by the number of scholar athletes we enjoy as kind of a "fringe benefit" of cross country. It's pretty standard fare, actually, as motivated and disciplined students tend to get drawn toward extra curricular activities of similar virtues. The Big 8 League has a new honor, a "scholar athlete" certificate, given to the top 8 "scholars" at the varsity level by the end of the season. Jason Schupp, Derek Nelson and Katrina Graham were in that elite 8. Mr. Masi, our Athletic Director, informed me that a 4.4 gpa "wasn't good enough" to make the list on the girls' side. It didn't surprise me, for that's what cross country kids are like! Duh!

Since I take my teaching job as seriously as I take my coaching, it's fun on occassion to have some of our runners in my classes. This year, in my AP (Advanced Placement) US History course, it seems the room is overrun with runners! While Dylan Gallagher is the lone Wolf in my first period class, period 4 has six runners enrolled and doing well. Sean, Derek, Jarod, Brad, Kelsi and Brandon are on pace and hitting their stride.

I love it especially because an AP class is alot like cross country: Only the strong survive. It's a challenging course, very fast paced, and with the National Exam awaiting them in May, there's a victorious finish line up ahead that draws the students on.

Today we got neck-deep in a theoretical workout on the ramifications of Abraham Lincoln's "redefinition of the word freedom" during the Civil War. We first chewed on an 1864 racist illustration of Southern fears of emancipation, then followed that up with a Lincoln piece from 1863 that gave an explanation to his critics for why the Emancipation Proclamation was not only legal (some considered it illegal), but also both militarily and socially necessary. The lesson then finished with a disection of Lincoln's masterpiece, The Gettysburg Address. Thrown into the mix, just to see if the kids were paying attention, were connections to the colonial period and the Revolutionary War. Oh yea, Barack Obama wiggled his way into the topic as well. Whew!

It was a bit like mental intervals, with very short rest, and by the time we got to "a new birth of freedom" it was hammer time. I looked into the eyes of these young scholars as they were obviously tracking with the topic, hanging on the pace, and waiting for that exhausted moment when every runner -- scratch that -- every scholar knows they nailed it. What I saw this morning, I've seen many times in practice ... this is hard, but I'm gettin' it.

I know, that realization may not have happened neatly today or even this evening. But rest assuredly, just as it does with running, that point of success ... that great aah ha! moment ... will proclaim itself victorious when these young historians cross that finish line in May... that finish line otherwise known as the AP US History exam.

Keep on keepin' on, scholars!

The Beauty of the State Meet

2008-11-29T20:44:00.000-08:00

Where Will Running Take You?

2008-11-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

Look at that photo! As a self-confessed lover of bright lights and big cities and tall buildings, I must say, I'm jealous! That's Carissa Bowman on the left along with her Biola University cross country teammates at the top of the John Hancock building in Chicago. It was a fun, extra excursion the team took after competing at the NAIA Cross Country Nationals held just north of Chicago in Kenosha Wisconsin.

Marv Alvarez talks about how "running discovers us." It's true. Few kids get into cross country "to become a runner." Usually it's to get in shape for another sport, or to be with their friends. But for many, somewhere along the way, running discovers them. Carissa was no different. She came out five years ago to get in shape for soccer and discovered that she had talent in running. Surprise! Since then, she's traveled all over the country and the state to compete, has seen places and people she'd never have otherwise. What a treat! Running discovered her and has given her experiences unimaginable before.

And she's not alone. Our cross country program has been a lot of places over the years; Alabama, San Diego, Mammoth Lakes, Fresno, San Francisco to name a few. I remember driving into San Francisco with a group a number of years ago, and one of the boys in my car had never been there before. As soon as the famed city came into view, he said from the back seat, "Whoaaaa!" That young man would later use his running to land him acceptance at Houghton College in New York. Nestled near Niagara Falls, he lived for four years in a part of the country that he would never have otherwise, had it not been for running. Two other alums are running and competing in Virginia. Their talent, in part, got them there.

So where will running take you? Keep at it. Don't give up. You just might find yourself looking down on the bright lights of a big city you never thought imaginable. If you don't believe me, just ask Carissa.

Getting what you need, not what you want

2008-11-23T15:58:00.001-08:00

I'm a big fan of Ryan Hall, America's top marathoner, and record holder of both the marathon and half marathon distances. Maybe it's because he's a local product, (Big Bear HS, class of '02), but mostly it's because he's got a great perspective on life and running.

Check out what I found online from his journal. You can read the unedited version here. It was posted just a few weeks ago, after he had some time to digest his Olympic "disappointment" -- he finished in 10th in the marathon, a race he and many others thought he could win.

I've highlighted some parts that really caught me. Here it is: (it's lengthy, but read it all!)

"As crazy as the summer and fall have been it has been exactly what the doctor ordered. After the Olympics I was fighting a bit of a post-Olympic letdown. I had invested so much into that one race and I wanted so badly to make everyone proud, to honor all that they had invested in me. I felt like August 24 was my moment to shine, and it was. Yet from day one of my training it was like I was butting my head against a wall.

The very first day back after taking a break from the London Marathon (last April) I ... had to hobble through a run as my patella tendons on both legs were badly inflamed. It was a problem that plagued me for my entire Olympic buildup and even in the race itself. .... I really poured myself into my workouts, yet they never improved to the level I had previously been able to get to.

Maybe this was precisely my problem—that I was trying too hard. There is something interesting about paradoxes in life. ...one must lose one’s life to gain it, there are paradoxes everywhere and running is no exception. From the moment I ran through the tunnel into the Olympic stadium I knew that the Olympics wasn’t everything I wanted but it was everything I needed.

I had dreamt of winning for so long but by losing I would develop a whole lot of character and my running career would have a lot different direction compared to if I had won. I could see it being somewhat difficult to stay motivated after accomplishing something as big as winning a gold medal. I am not sure but I would think there have been plenty of athletes whose careers took a turn for the worse after winning it all.

... This reality (that placing 10th was perhaps just what the doctor ordered) didn’t keep me from being disappointed at the time. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that if the Olympics had gone how I wanted them to it would have been bad for me in the long run and even in my day to day life. There is something very healthy about not having everything we want, ... a lot of joy can come from not getting everything we want.

Let me explain. After the Olympics what I needed to get "back on the horse" was not hard training or time at home thinking, what I needed was inspiration. I needed inspiration that I could hear, touch, and see. So on my birthday, October 14, I unwrapped a most timely present: a trip to Zambia to go and see for myself the faces that Sara and I had been working alongside Team World Vision to bring clean water to. I must admit that going to Zambia I had a lot of preconceived notions of what the people and the country would be like. I knew it was one of the poorest countries in the world so I expected to see a lot of heartache and devastation. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Describing my trip to Zambia can easily be summed up with two words: community and joy.

On weekends like the ING New York City Marathon I am reminded that we do have events that bring the nation and even whole world together, when everyone is united to conquer something bigger than they could do on their own, which is exactly what the people in Zambia do on a daily basis, only their giant is not 26.2 miles of pavement, rather it is shelter, food, disease, and most urgently, clean water. So in an effort to start combating the problem this year Sara (his wife) and I got involved with Team World Vision which tries to bring clean water to some villages in Zambia filled with people who desperately need it.

After our first run in Zambia I was convinced that the trip was already worth it. Children ran alongside of us laughing and smiling for miles and miles as we ran along the main road going through town. The people were contagiously joyful. I could not help but to have my spirits return from the post-Olympic letdown. I will never forget the looks in the kids’ faces. I see them now when I am doing abs or zoning in on a hard run and I feel their joy in my steps. It is important for me to know that I am not just running for me but there are people all over the world who are urging me on. I may be helping in some small way to bring them clean water but they are helping me to run with joy, purpose and passion.

The other image from Africa that is burned into my head is being on the starting line of a 15K road race that this small village put on for us as a way of showing their appreciation for all our efforts and seeing 150 pairs of feet ranging from barefoot, to flip-flops to knee-high plastic farming boots. I ran the entire race in 90 degree temperatures on black pavement straight up hill next to two guys: one that had a pair of flip flops on and the other was running barefoot. I realized then that I have no idea what it means to be tough. What was really cool was seeing the boreholes that had already been dug in the community along our running route. We were way out in the sticks yet kids could fill their buckets from the clean water from the boreholes whenever they needed. While I was there I learned that a community with clean water increases the life expectancy of its members from 34 to 56. The 12 years of extra life means that more children can grow up with their parents still around.

Water is so essential to us as elite runners that if we miss one of eight bottles along the course filled with just 8 oz of fluid it could mean the difference between victory and defeat, so it is neat to give something that is so essential for us to something that is so much more essential for them. I will never look at water the same way.

Africa opened up my eyes to a lot of things. Most of all it showed me what it looks like to not have everything you want but to have everything you need. They had each other and they had joy and that seemed to suffice for them even if all that was served was one meal of shima and beans and some clean water. I have been inspired to look at my own life and decide what things I really need and have realized that this is enough for me.

I remember when I was young not having some things that I really wanted but I always had everything I needed. It made me really appreciate the things I did have.

... I have to step back from my Olympic experience and think, sure I am disappointed to not have my best stuff on that day, but I should be overwhelmingly thankful that I was privileged enough to be there. Sometimes life’s events aren’t everything we dreamt of, but I think if we step back, maybe look at life through someone else’s eyes, we will probably realize that although the shattered dream wasn’t everything we hoped for, just maybe it was everything we needed."

More Photo Phun

2008-11-19T21:22:00.001-08:00

Some fun images taken at CIF Prelims last Saturday...

What More Can a Coach Ask For?

2008-11-17T06:22:00.000-08:00

It was truly a bittersweet day, Saturday was. I was so happy for the girls, proud of the challenges they overcame to not just qualify, but also to run so well as a team in the process. But my heart was saddened for our boys; I so wanted them to have the "reward" of CIF Finals.

I wanted that for them because they have made such a tremendous transformation in the last 12 months. This team of 2008, save a couple of graduated seniors last Spring, is the same group that finished 13th in '07 in their Prelim heat. I've coached long enough to have seen every conceivable reaction to poor results; everything from tears and heartbreak to smirks and nonchalance. Sometimes the kids go home with goals "to improve next year" only to see those goals evaporate by Christmas.

Such was not the case with this team. They got determined. They got motivated. And they got to work.

We've preached for years the value of off-season training and the absolute need to take track (viewed by many as their "second sport") seriously. It's all part of making a great cross country season. Well, for the first time really, a nucleus of guys starting taking such admonitions to heart.

They began in November of 2007 at Orange Terrace Park, running countless circuits in the dark and cold of winter. They ran a half-marathon in January. They came into track IN SHAPE (what a concept!) and had a great track season. I kept telling them back in March, "enjoy this now, but even better things are coming next Fall."

Well the "better things" wasn't a spot on the Finals line, though they came right up to the doorstep of it. Instead, the team will have to settle for the intrinsic reward of knowing they are sooooo much better than they used to be. As I looked at a bunch of disappointed faces in the twilight of last Saturday, I saw a group that walked out of Mt.SAC a year ago not even close to being "there." Understandably, "we almost made it this year" were hollow words. But in contrast to 2007, "we almost made it" is an incredible statement.

It's disappointing for sure to not yet be "there", but I take great comfort in knowing that this group did everything they could do -- for one full calendar year -- to be in a position to get to the Big Dance. Though they came up short, they are so far beyond where they once were.

And ultimately in life, that's all that really counts. We cannot control what our opponents do, we can only control what we do. And as much as it was in their power, this group of guys controlled their efforts, their miles, their races, their workouts, their team chemistry to make the moment possible.

What more can a coach ask for? Nothing. (But he can still wish for another week of racing!)