Blog Series on Running and Pushing to that NEXT Level !!! Stay tuned for more stories and experiences from Past and Present Cross Runners.
The first Two Stories come from my(Coach Melissa) Cousins Jodi and Tami, Holland Christian Cross Country and Calvin Cross Country :)
Tami Vermeulen Post
Holland Christian Cross Country -99'
Calvin College Cross Country -04'
I began running when I was in 7th grade. I continued to run competitively in both cross country and track through my senior year of college. In high school I would have said running came naturally to me. I enjoyed it and thankfully I never suffered an injury. I had fun, got my picture in the paper sometimes, and there was little to no pressure to succeed.
College however, was another story. I learned that there is so much more to running than having fun with teammates and winning a race. If competitive running is "easy", then something is missing. What about the part where God asks you to use your God-given talents to honor Him by doing your best? What about pushing yourself and maybe even feeling some pain in the process?
My college teammates were tough. They puked after workouts. They needed IVs after the big races. Maybe it was borderline insanity, but maybe not. They knew something I was only beginning to learn. Each one knew that when his or her body was physically exhausted, when their muscles cramped and lungs were ready to explode, it was time for the brain to take over; mind over matter.
God has given each of us so much strength, especially mental strength. Our bodies can do incredible things physically. When we really push ourselves, we can build muscle, increase endurance and improve our PRs, but our minds can take us to places our physical bodies alone can't take us to. I have been privileged to have worked with many incredible coaches and athletes. I learned that to truly do my best and reach unthinkable goals, I need to surpass my physical strength. We were taught “when the going gets tough it's time to dig deeper and focus on finish line.”
I also learned that there is always someone faster and tougher to chase after. I reached my goals by following close behind, never letting her out of my reach and especially never out of my sight. No matter the discomfort or fatigue or desire to give in, my mind was made up from the start...To never let go of her at any cost.
To sum this all up... when you reach the point of pain or "hit the wall", the three things I recommend:
Dig deeper.
Let your mental strength take over and focus.
Find someone who's tough to stick with till the end.
Tami and Jodi, Calvin 2000
Jodi Vermeulen Sunderman
Holland Christian Cross Country -99'
Calvin College Cross Country -04'
Alright, how about a little marathon training experience... There's nothing quite like it (although I can't even imagine an ultra or ironman)! in races, we establish goal times for given distances and while the goal time is important, sometimes it's even achieving
the distance that can be the goal. Either way, setting the right goal is
important in order to push yourself harder and farther and come away feeling a
great sense of accomplishment.
So for me, running 26.2 miles is always a big feat, and doing it to pace means training properly. Those long runs when you've added miles from the last long run and all you want to do is walk are nearly torture. Those hilly runs, those paced tempos, and the fueling that it takes feels like it takes all day sometimes and can start to feel pointless or not worthwhile, but when race day comes and you stick to your smart and well devised running plan (that those who have gone before you have helped you establish), it's easy in comparison.
There is great joy in that sort of accomplishment! When training for one of my marathons, I struggled with a hip flexor issue, which meant resting a little more and avoiding most hills during training. It wasn't what I was hoping for, but I was able to finish a hilly course with my fastest time. Listening to your body is ALWAYS important! So good luck to all and have fun!!!
