Reflections: Track is Life

I woke up this morning thinking about my journey. It’s been tough but as I look through my photos I realize I’ve worked with a lot of folks 😅 Gahr for a short while, then K-Trax, Dr Patterson’s, Show Time, Morningside, SMA, RunMDR, and now Track Diamond. Though each experience has their uniqueness, I see them as cumulative, evolutionary. Reflecting on my years as a Saint/Knight, LA Jet, Norman, and Husky, and cert PT, I aimed to generate good experiences for my athletes and clients. In my definition, a good experience means helping the athlete achieve their vision safely while teaching them the guiding principles of self-discipline, development, gratitude, and personal achievement so they may appreciate their own progress and have rewarding memories of running. I hope that when Emanuel of Gahr looks back, he remembers the moments his coach required him to “do better” (as Rachel of SMA used to say), so that he may aspire for greater in his life. And as each athlete/runner journeys around the track or climbs uphill, I hope they breakdown walls, discover capabilities, and understand that they are limited only by the scope of their vision.

Ryan and Bianca (featured right) were my first Junior Olympians. While this can be cited as a coach’s accomplishment, I valued their progress even higher because of their beginnings and the role I served. My goal for them wasn’t championships but to help them become their best selves. I talk about their journey more than JOs but today, after returning from the JOs with Track Diamond, I find myself thinking about them, where they’ve been, and where they are going in this place called tracklife. I think about all my runners past and present and how far they’ve come. As they strove for their PR, some won a race for the first time, others gained respect from their peers and became a testament of diligence and hard-work...some competed at CIF Finals/State or nationally in JOs...a few attended top-ranked universities, became a valedictorian, marathoned in Switzerland, and ran ultra-marathons in Oregon and San Francisco uphill and lived to tell the tale. I’m most proud of their PR and what it means to them.

Congrats again Track Diamond Track Club! You did it!