2 weeks off, ready to go.

That time of year to start things up.

First off, I want to say congrats to Beth and Paul at Nationals.
Paul raced the 10k, the race seemed to go out pretty slow, but Paul kept his head up and finished 15th I believe.
Beth got 9th in the 1500,, very close to All American. She ran a 4:36 1500m earlier in the season to qualify for nationals (~4:55 mile).

Well, I'm ready to get things going.
I have been a ball of energy at home for the past two weeks, since I have not been running. It's a little unhealthy, I am too jittery and hyped up without getting a run in each day. I also tend to eat a lot less. Needless to say, I'm ready to start summer training.

For me, Summer running is a commitment all the way through and into the Fall Cross Country season. It's really easy to make excuses to not train during the summer.
For me, it's always good to remember what I want for the long term, not just what I immediately want.
So, I will be skipping appointments such as going to the beach, pool, out to boston, movies, hanging out with friends, parties, you name it just to get my runs in.
The guys on our team have a commitment to our training, and we think this year will turn out to be something special.

I want to share a few quotes that are somewhat motivating in terms of reminding myself that I can get a lot out of this as long as I keep my focus this summer.

(Coach) John Evans wrote this in an e-mail to the team:

" Now thoughts can turn to XC. It has the potential to be a awesome year, with both teams ready to do some great things. The little things will make the difference, and the foundation of the success will begin right now. Do the little things right during the summer -follow the schedule, listen to your body, stretch, keep hydrated, get enough rest and you will come back healthy and ready to go.

Paul sent this to the guys, but it is appropriate to both teams:

'As we've all heard over and over, the little things like sleep, diet, stretching and listening to your body will determine whether we get on that podium. Another thing I can't stress enough is to have confidence in your training. If you follow the schedule, making appropriate adjustments when necessary, you will come back in great shape. Focus on doing what's best for you and don't worry about what other people are doing, whether on our team or not. The process is 99% of our sport and what determines the end result, so make sure you enjoy it!' "

I agree with every single word.

It's gonna be a fun summer.