When I was in high-school I played on the Freshman basketball team. I’d argue that I was a pretty decent basketball player, I wasn’t bad, but I also don’t think I was great. Somewhere in skilled mediocre. While most of the players had better shooting and dribbling I was one of the better rebounders on the team, so I did a lot of rebounding, layups, passing and the occasional free throw. Seared in on brain though was my lack of motivation to try hard. I did the workouts, but wasn’t fully committed. I never put in additional work at home, because I didn’t see the point of more practice. I don’t know what my coach thought about it, other than I sat on the bench more than I wanted to. I also felt sorry for myself because the coach didn’t ever have me start. But here’s the reality, I did not play, because I did not try. I did not get better, because I did not see the benefit of my coach.

But here’s the reality, I did not play, because I did not try. I did not get better, because I did not see the benefit of my coach.

Fast-forward 25 years later and I started running races. I had no coach, I mooched off of other people’s plans and it got me by. I completed races, while not amazing times, I still completed them. I even completed a 50 miler using a plan I found online. I felt like I nearly died completing that 50 miler, but I completed it nonetheless. While I was getting by in my running, I felt a twinge of regret from my early years of basketball. I thought about how good I might have been if I actually listened to the coach and tried. I may have continued to be mediocre, but I wouldn’t have had regrets. I decided that I’d give the coaching thing a shot with my running. I was interested in redeeming my early years of laziness, while see how good I could actually become by giving it my all and having someone to coach me through it.

I just finished my first running season with Nark Running & Strength and I didn’t realize what I had actually been missing out on. The most significant of changes for myself was having a running plan that was geared to my own body, while also having a plan that I was going to push me to my limits. This year alone I dropped my 5k and half-marathon times by pretty decent amounts. 26” per mile on my 5k and 45” per mile from my half-marathon times. Not only was a personalized training plan super helpful in building fitness and speed, the race day pacing plans helped me run and execute a more strategic race. Maybe the piece that is not always readily visible, but equally valuable, is the community of runners that I have met and now run with.

While I didn’t give it my all in high-school, I can say for a fact, I have given it my all this past running season and I’m really looking forward to the next!