Head Coach - Fleming XC

After almost 10 years I’m headed back to the college I graduated from but not as a student.

This past summer I was supposed to train for the Berlin Marathon. Fortunately or unfortunately life had different plans, but one of the benefits of not being able to train for the marathon this summer was being able to focus on run coaching and putting the free time towards getting my coaching certificate.

In finally completing something I had wanted to do since I ran the Lululemon run club back in 2019, it opened some other opportunities and doors. It just so happened that the college I graduated from back in 2012 was in need of a coach for their Cross Country program. With no school or athletics last year there were some eager kids to get out to run but left without a coach. In knowing that I couldn't say no to going back to the college that started my weightloss journey.

When I went to Fleming College back in the day we received a free membership to the gym and I fully took advantage of it. When I walked back into the first gym I ever trained in the other night and it instantly brought back all the memories of the beginning of how I got to where I am now. Even the treadmill I first jumped on to try out running, was still in the same place.

It was amazing to be back in that building and lead our first practice the other day. Before we started, I told the athletes that this is going to be a learning experience for not only you as athletes but me as well being a newer coach. It will be a growth process but I said to them I do care about results but I care more about you putting in effort day in, day out to not only better yourself on and off the course as well.

I told them that all I expect of them is to put effort and show up on days that that may not want to be there. Those bad days will make the greater days feel even better. We aren’t always going to be motivated but discipline, consistency and work ethic means more, because hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. The reason I expect this of them is because it can be applied to anything in life and it will open a lot of doors. Having those characteristics won't ever leave you plus it'll help you accomplish things that you never thought you could.

We've got our first meet in London this weekend and I'm excited to see what we can accomplish on the way to OCAA's later this year.

Let's go Knights!