Coaching myself with the help of Jack Daniels

I was a walk on to both Cross Country and Track teams here at Carson Newman and I was just so excited to run on a college team. I could not wait to be part in a team that traveled all over and compete. I could not wait to bring my running to the next level. Cross Country lived up to all my expectation and I have managed to drop about a minute off my high school cross country times. I even raced three miles in high school on flat course where as now I race 5ks over hill and dale.

I can't say the same for track. My PR in high school was a 2:26 and I consist raced 2:30s for 800 meters. I had different Coaches every year for track and did low mileage. Speed work was good but not at the collegiate level.

I have not raced faster than a 2:33 in College. The work-outs were lacking, I do not think I ran repeats over 400 meters last year. One of my Coach's favorite workout was to have me run the turns. I was a middle distance runner doing work-outs that never totaled over a mile.

After my freshman year, I asked to move up in distance. This asking only meant that I raced more events. I race up to 4 events including 4x400 meters. I have only raced the 1500 meters once. Then again, our Coach only took us to three meets. I ended up at tears at the end of last year.

I went to the Coach and asked him basically what I needed to do. He did not know but he finally agreed with me that I needed to move up to the 1500m, telling me that I had gotten too slow for the 800 meter. I also voiced my concerns for the lack of the indoor and outdoor season. He promised me more meets.

This year, Coach has basically handed the program over to the G.A. and he is focusing all his attention on his football players. The G.A. does a good job but she has no idea how to coach distance but at least she came to me for help. I have put Jack Daniel's training guide to good use, dog earring, highlighting and carrying it with me at all time. It might be more worn then my bible. I also have most the distance squad on it too. They come to me for work-outs. I am glad the G.A. has allowed me to do this.

I have been training hard and I was ready to race this indoor season. We had four on the schedule, we raced one. There were several different excuses for why the others were canceled but it seems like the head coach just did not try hard enough.

Recently, I have become frustrated with having to do this by myself. I have my teammates who have supported me so well. I don't have someone yelling splits out for me. If a work-out is not working out for me, I don't have someone telling me to tough it out. I don't have that cheerleader. I don't have that second opinion.

I don't regret coming to Carson Newman, it has been a wonderful college. I do not regret running on a team full of great people. I would never trade the memories I have with my teammates. I do regret wasting two years of eligibility in track.

If I know now what I knew then, I would have started coaching myself a long time ago.