Run easy is an oxymoron.  What is it about running that scares people so much?  Why do people feel they have to put friendly modifiers next to running so everyone can feel good about it?  Well, here’s the ugly truth.  Everyone shouldn’t feel good about running.  It’s hard.  It hurts.  Running requires sacrifice and heart and guts.  Any attempt to water it down with feel-good adjectives is a slap in the face to those of us who still hold running sacred.  In fact, if you’re running easy, odds are you’re not running at all.  You’re jogging.  So do us a favor, don’t run easy,  Run hard.  Run like an animal.  Run like a Wildcat.

Quote taken from Pearl Izumi

2009 “The Good Run” Gatorade Toast

By Terresa Holmes

    This year, we want to continue with a tradition that we started last year.  We want to raise our Gatorade and get the new season off to a good start with a toast.

    First, we want you to all stay safe.  We want you to respect cars as the lethal weapons that they can be and to run in a very defensive manner.  We want you to stay injury-free.  Much is demanded from your bodies during a cross country season and your bodies will respond if you treat them right.  You have to get lots of sleep and make every calorie count.

    You will have to take your school work seriously.  You can be a gifted and superbly conditioned athlete, but you will do your team no good if you are academically ineligible.  Some of you are ready for 2-a-day runs.  You will have to be excellent time managers in order to get it all done.

    We want you to be good citizens.  You are the kids who say “please” and “thank you” and who remember to clean up your areas of the bleachers when you are guests at another school.  You are good representatives of your family, your school and the town of La Center.  We want you to always remember that others are watching your actions.  There was an excellent turn out at the La Center Fun Run on Saturday.  There are a lot of really fast little kids coming up.  Tomorrow’s teams are watching you today.  You need to keep on setting a good example.

    We want you to find true joy in your accomplishments.  Each race is won by only one person, but all are winners if they have done their best.  That’s why the theme this year is to “Rock Steady.”  We’re after methodical, steady improvement so that you will all run your best at District and at State.  If everyone runs their best, that will be good enough to win State.  I am convinced of this.  Maybe you’ll join some of the people who keep on running even when the season is over.  Lots of people have running in their blood.  They think that it is fulfilling and enhances their sense of well-being.

    If we accomplish all of these things, then this year, we will truly have a “good run.”  So raise your bottles to the “Good Run!.”