10 Weeks

10 Weeks ago, the 58 girls on the Lexington High School XC team began their journey.  As their coach, I had the good fortune of supporting, encouraging and pushing them through each day, from start to finish.  Today, as I reflect on the season, I am trying to think of the words they might use to describe the past 70+ days.  Here's a few that instantly came to mind:
~ Fun (yes, I do hope this would be their knee jerk response)
~ Hard (both physically and emotionally)
~ Frustrating
~ Exciting
~ Amazing
~ Fulfilling
~ Telling
~ Unpredictable
~ Exhausting
~ Eye-opening
~ Rewarding
Today, for many of them, the season will culminate in this final meet as they race against all the other schools in their Middlesex League.  The top 10 girls on the team, which at this point we still don't know because we have such incredible depth, will continue on through November.  But for the rest of them, particularly the seniors who run jv, this is the big kahuna.  This is my third year working with this team.  Every year has been as good as if not better than the last.  Not because the girls are different or the team is stronger, but because I have gotten to know them in a new way with each practice, each conversation, each phone call, and each run.  They are a family and slowly but surely I have squeezed my way in.  I have learned so much from them...to be a better coach, a better friend, a better mom, a better person.  I hope I have done my part and returned the favor.  I am beaming with pride as I write this post.  How lucky am I?  GO LEX!

Listen to this:
Annie You Save Me - Graffiti6