Inspiration

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
--PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." --Jesse Owens

"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'."
--Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
--Steve Prefontaine

“When you’re hurting in the middle of a workout or race, it’s easy to hold back or let yourself off the hook from running faster. But regret is the worst feeling in the world to me. You want to challenge yourself. The more you get out of yourself, you more you start wondering, Maybe I could get even more. It’s fun to see what your body can do.”
--Kara Goucher

“To motivate yourself every day, the most important thing is to set a goal. If you have a goal, you know what you must do because you have a plan. And if you don’t reach the goal, try again and again.”
--Haile Gebrselassie (of Ethopia. Ran 2:04:26 in the 2007 Berlin Marathon to notch his 24th World Record)

Today was our last big meet of the CC season. We came in second out of 19 teams. We should be pumped, right? Well, I was excited because all of the members of the team did better than I ever could in a 5K race, so I was proud of them. but there was a bit of a somber mood after the race. We came in second. Again. To the same team who always beats us. AND they ran two 8th grade runners today, so their program doesn't look like it is going to open the door wide any time soon.

I think we all went home wondering what else we could each do to improve our team and individual performances. I went to the gym to burn off some of my thoughts and feel healthy after a week of grading papers and writing comments and teaching classes, and I picked up several back issues of Runner's World. Flipping through them on the eliptical, I couldn't get enough of the inspirational stories in this magazine. And isn't that what running is all about? Creating memories of that beautiful trail run or the breakthrough race or the training run when you got great ideas for a lesson plan...Running is so inspirational to me. It's painful, it's dirty, it's often unglamorous, it's exhausting. But it's also freeing and rewarding and life-enhancing and revealing. So I culled (my favorite word of the week) some of my favorite quotes to send to our players--one a day for the next two weeks as we prepare mentally and physically for State on Nov. 1. The ones above are my favorites so far. If you know of any others and are willing to pass them along, I would LOVE to hear them!

Perhaps what I love most about them (and the sport itself) is the fact that running is a perfect metaphor for life. This week has been incredibly long and exhausting, but as is so often is the case with teaching (and many other professions), it's when we don't think we can get it all done and actually still be able to teach every day that we prove to ourselves just what we are made of. It's the same way with writing--sometimes we must push through the painful, tiring parts to actually come out on the other side with rewards we wouldn't have received otherwise.

For example, comments were due today, but an English Dept. Gathering had been rescheduled for last night. Sure, I was tempted to back out and spend the evening finishing and revising my comments, but I felt I had committed to attending and that I should go. And I am so glad I did. I learned more in one hour or engaged discussion with my colleagues and other English teachers in Chattanooga than I could have found in a book in the same period of time. After an evening of talking about poetry, I came home inspired and refreshed. Sure, I still had a class of comments to write, but I was okay with that...

Sure, I think there are some times in life when you shouldn't give any more or yourself or else you will explode. But there are some pretty neat moments hiding behind many doors we are either too tired or distracted to open. Inspiration is contagious--and often happens when we aren't looking for it.

Have a great weekend, friends.