Just Another Runner's Perspective June 2014 By Gale Fischer
This Is Your Time
"Never underestimate the heart of a champion." ---Rudy Tomjanovich
Why we start running, continue with it, or come back to it after a hiatus involves many variables. Perhaps one of the most common of these is running can be an integral stone in the path of a healthy active lifestyle. As important as living a healthy lifestyle is, there are many other motives for incorporating running into one’s weekly and daily schedule. Some have joined the movement because of the social network that it offers. Others simply run as a means to avoid social situations and carve a space into each day for “ me time”. Many individuals choose running as a dose of daily stress relief. I began running as a way to challenge my perceived physical and mental limitations. Although many can enjoy years of running with no competitive ties attached to it, there are those athletes who are drawn to the sport because of an inner competitive fire. Most individuals would be hard-pressed to choose a single variable that has kept them running throughout the years. For most of us, the desire to run is fueled by a combination of variables over a long period of time. Although I began running with an inner competitive spirit to push my limits, I had no inclination to push that competitive spirit outside the boundaries of my own body and into the arena of competing against other runners.
Any real feelings of running to finish faster than others did not surface for me until I had been running for over eight years. I signed up for a local 10K race and found myself behind the lead pack for the first mile. As I approached the first turn with the leaders a minute in front of me I realized that they had made the turn for the 5K race and suddenly a wave of emotion hit as I came to the realization that I was the leader of the 10K race. I had never expected to be in this position and for the first time as a runner I felt an undeniable pressure. As I approached the starting line earlier I had no expectations of finishing in front of all the other runners but here I was and the only thing I could think was “Don’t blow it.” Although I had established a significant lead, I found it difficult to stop looking over my shoulder to see who was behind me. When I finally crossed the finish line breaking the tape, I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. Although the mounting pressure was unbearable on the race course, I became hooked as this initial victory vaulted me into the competitive aspect of running.
Health, stress relief, and social opportunity have still played a significant role in my running since that July morning in 2005, but for most of the years since, my competitive spirit has been the driving force. Almost nine years later, age and injury are catching up to me, diminishing the importance of competitive running, but a part of me still grasps at this side of our sport while letting other facets of running play a bigger role.
Recently I was given an opportunity to help coach the distance runners for my daughter’s track team. Leading up to this opportunity the last nine months, I have had several conversations with the team’s head coach, Rick McKire. Many of these conversations led back to one of his most successful athletes, Audri Bornamann, a runner with a fierce competitive spirit. Immediately as I began coaching, my first responsibility was to lead the distance runners through their workouts, not from the sideline but on the roads and track running alongside them. It did not take long to take notice of Audri’s competitive spirit. Her facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice when she spoke of running told the story of how much of an impact this sport had on her life. I have had plenty of encounters with adults who had the same fire and passion for running that I had but never imagined that an adolescent athlete could know running in the same way. Simply put, in the short time that I have coached Audri, as a runner she reminded me of myself.
In 2011 Audri experienced some success near the front of the pack in her cross country meets with her times ranging from 21:28 to 24 minutes. According to Coach McKire, she put in the work on her own during the next off-season coming back in 2012 looking like a different runner. In 2012 she steadily chipped away at her times, coming in with a PR of 18:39. In The fall of 2013, Audri PRd again tackled the distance with a time of 18:28. She dominated, winning most of her cross country meets, many of them without any challengers to push her. Her hard work paid off during the track season as well with a 5:32 for the mile in 2013 and 11:33 for the two mile, just missing the school record. Audri’s short stature gives many of her competitors a physical advantage over her with their longer legs and effortless strides. What separates her from her competitors is her desire to win. Her heart and soul have driven her work ethic paying dividends on the trails and track. Her lack of physical ability compared with her competition coupled with her desire and work ethic provide a great example of a role model for her peers, demonstrating that whatever you choose to do with your life, what you possess deep inside of your soul will dictate success much more than the talent you are born with. Talent can only go so far without drive and determination.
With her success on the cross-country circuit last fall, her senior season, everyone had high hopes coming into the track season. Unfortunately, things sometimes do not go as planned. Audri developed a nasty case of shin splints and gutted it out her first two track meets. The pain intensified during the mile of her second meet and it was obvious to all of her coaches that she needed to take some time off. Deep down inside it was probably obvious to Audri as well, but taking time off in this, her senior season was not easy to consider. After her mile race that second track meet, I had a heart-to-heart talk with her. I knew what she was going through and understood how difficult it was to give her body some rest, but in reality, nothing that I could say to her could ease the mental anguish that she was going through. She could not stop the tears that fell from her eyes during our conversation as reality hit. It was time to take a break.
Audri was a trooper the next few weeks coming out to cheer her teammates on at the track meets. As difficult as it was for her to be there she was the ultimate teammate. She fought back tears as she watched the mile and two-mile race at the all-city meet. The emotions that are common with teens and the combination of her competitive spirit made it difficult for Audri to cope as she watched her teammates compete. Watching the mile and two-mile race at the all-city meet was a burden for her that was difficult to bear. Had things gone as planned both of those races were her’s to win. The one thing that she could hold onto was the hope that the school record for the two mile and an appearance at the state track meet were still a possibility if her body recovered. Audri came back after a few weeks and attempted the mile at one track meet and the two mile at another winning both, but not in Audri fashion. It was obvious that her shins were still in pain.
As Coach McKire spoke with the rest of the coaches before practice the week of regionals, the disappointment on his face could not be masked. He explained how he had made one of the most difficult decisions that he had ever had to make as a coach, pulling Audri out for the season. Continuing to run now without healing would only jeopardize her chances of running in college for the University of Michigan. My heart sank as I listened to his words.
In the grand scheme of life, there are certainly more difficult ordeals than taking time off from running to rest one’s body. You can always find someone experiencing more extreme circumstances than what you are going through. This line of thought, although true, does not make what Audri is going through any easier to deal with. This was her senior track season, her time to shine. Expectations were high. She was supposed to win the mile and two-mile at the all-city meet. The school record for the 3200 meters was her’s to claim. It was her last chance to challenge for a state crown. Sure she will likely recover and run again as a member of the running community or even collegiately. Time will make things better, but time will never give her back her final season as a high school athlete. This was her last opportunity to compete at the high school level and her body let her down. Although she lost the opportunity to go up against other high school girls for the last time, perhaps what is a more difficult blow to deal with is that her last chance to participate with her high school teammates was stripped from her. This was supposed to be her time. The story did not end as it should have.
As difficult and unfair as Audri’s circumstances have been one bright moment did come out of it. For our team’s final track meet, our other senior distance runner, Naomi approached the coaches with an unusual request. She wanted to carry Audri on her back the last quarter mile of the two-mile run as a show of support for her friend and teammate. This would disqualify her from any points for the team for this race and of course, as coaches, this was the first thing we considered. After discussing it we decided that this was more important for Audri than the points it would have given our team. As the entire team, girls and boys joined Naomi and Audri for the last stretch of that quarter mile it was obvious that this show of teamship and friendship would provide a memory for Audri and the whole team for years to come.
All of us should count our blessings each and every day just to be able to go out for a leisure run. In some ways, we should consider it a privilege. Although the competitive side of running should not be the only driving force for us to run, having that variable of running taken away can be a difficult blow to one’s spirit. I did not compete as a runner or an athlete in high school, so I can only imagine how difficult it would be to lose that opportunity as a senior. We love you Audri. Although we can’t feel your pain, our hearts go out to you.
KEEP RUNNING!!
Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.
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