“Be Better Today Than You Were Yesterday”

Via @brooksrunning

With one more week left in this Indoor Track Season, I cannot help but reflect on a season full of promise and joy.  My coach, Ruud, and I were using this indoor season to help us gauge our training this first 31 weeks of working together.  We had a highly productive, injury-free fall.  This winter focused on an 8k road race, and then I had 5 consecutive weekends of indoor racing—the last three races resulting in indoor personal best times.  My 3:57.76 mile in North Carolina, 7:52 3k in Boston and 3:57.36 mile in Iowa were some of the best races of my life so far.  My confidence has increased tremendously and my joy for track and field continues to grow every single day.  This is a very good thing because this week is NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK.  I am heading back to Boston (Lord WILLING) this Friday to race in the one mile run at 4:05pm Sunday, March 1, on NBC Sports Network (for those of you that care to tune in).  I normally have a great deal of fear and anxiety leading up to a National Championship event, but this one seems so different.  I feel that I have not only matured athletically over the course of this indoor season, but I have matured so much individually as well.  I believe in myself. I know I can run fast. I know I can compete at the highest level in this country. I know I can beat the best of the best.  Now it is just time to embrace the opportunity and “Run Happy” and do it!

Knoxville Youth Athletics has had a positive month of racing as well, specifically at an incredible meet in Birmingham, Alabama, a week ago.  Many of our middle school distance athletes traveled down to compete in 800, 1500 and 3000m races.  So many athletes posted on social media and reached out to me sharing about their successful experiences on the track.  I cannot express how happy and proud I was of everyone, and I am glad I was still able to be have a small part in encouraging our group from afar at my own race.  We really are a team at KYA.  I have received so many notes from athletes and parents sharing in my success on the track and telling me how they tuned into NBC Sports Network and FloTrack to support me these last few weeks.  Traveling and racing solo has its positives and negatives, but like anything in life—everything is so much richer and more enjoyable sharing life with others.  KYA and In the Arena has allowed me to do this in an immeasurable way, and I cannot thank everyone who has taken time to reach out to me and give me words of encouragement—I NEED IT!

Track and Field is a family oriented sport.  And even though my family is 8 hours away from me right now, I have a place that I call home where I can be myself and pursue the goals I hope to achieve in this life. So take these words of encouragement and inspiration from me today, “Be Better Today Than You Were Yesterday.” Don’t be scared to go after something—something that may seem out of reach or even too challenging to attain.  You will never know unless you do it, and I guarantee you will never regret the journey life will take you along the way—I know I haven’t. 

Thank you again to my biggest supporters:

Mom and Dad, Coach Ruud, Coach Greg, Meredith Dolhare, Gabe Holguin, Justin at Drayer PT, and Dr. McKinnon at McKinnon Chiropractic

Thank you to my Sponsors:  

Generation UCAN, Timex, Hypoxico , ec3d and Endevr

AND God knows I could not make it without Brooks Running and In The Arena for helping make my dreams realities each and every day of my life.

P.S. In your spare time check out that new Drake album that dropped last week with no prior marketing or promotion selling 500,000 + copies in the first week.