Why I Love Being A Coach
I never liked running until my college years, when I discovered it really worked well for me to lose the freshman 15 that I had quickly put on. I learned to love running because it made me feel healthy and strong.
After college, for fun, I decided to run my first 5K at a local private school through the woods and up and around a steep hill. There were probably 100 people maximum there, I was feeling young, strong and fast and in probably the best running shape I had ever been.
I looked around at the small group of people jumping up and down rubbing their hands together to keep warm on this cool fall morning. I thought, to myself, “I’ll just try to keep up with these people in the front and see what happens…”
The race began and we bolted up into the woods up a steep hill. I ran the fasted ½ mile I ever ran, then I thought I was going to throw up, my legs were going to collapse right underneath me and I began to feel light-headed and shaky.
As the normal, smart and well-trained people started to jog past me confidently, I decided that I would just make my own path out of the woods, find my car and head home. And that is exactly what I did!
My dad had warned me to pace myself and not start out too fast, but I had to give it a try on my own. I’ve run many 5Ks, 10Ks and the Disney Marathon too. I’ve learned a lot since that first race!
When our family decided to run a 5K together six years ago, I told Kate that she could go at any pace that she would like and I would be with her the whole time. But she would do it on her own two feet and our goal was to finish the race.
Being the baby and tiny for her age, for many years, Kate would like to be carried on Daddy’s back or shoulders whenever we’d walk anywhere. She’d get tired easily and not want to walk long distances. So when we did this 3 mile loop, I didn’t care if she walked, jogged or sprinted, but she knew she could do it, if she paced herself. I shared my first 5K experience with her and told her that we wanted to make it to the end and enjoy the experience.
Kate was in charge of the pace and if she suddenly had a burst of energy, I would sprint alongside her with her little legs and her big smile, trying to keep up with her. Then she’d suddenly go really slowly, especially if it was a big hill. But I kept encouraging her and telling her she could do it, one step at a time and we’d say together “on my own two feet”.
In addition to the runners, there were many people who signed up to walk the race. Every once in a while, Kate and I would look back behind us and see a walker gaining on us and this would motivate Kate to jog a little and then run. She was determined that no “walkers” would pass us.
I share this story because I think it helps to show why I love being a coach.
I love encouraging people to do things, even when it seems really challenging.
I love motivating people end helping them to keep their eyes on the finish line, while enjoying the race.
I love cheering people on and reminding them of their strengths and abilities.
I love sharing what I’ve learned and my experiences with others so that they can get a head start and avoid having to learn some things the hard way.
I learned the hard way how not to run a race. I figured it out, by learning from others who were more experienced and knowledgeable then I was, by reading books and continuing to do what I love.
Our health and wellness journey is more like a marathon than a sprint. It may be long, there will be hills and harder days. I am here for you to teach you what I’ve learned, to walk with you and encourage you to keep moving toward optimal health at your own pace and on your own two feet.