Instead of learning to be cool with the girls, I made the incredibly boneheaded move of joining the cross-country team my freshmen year in high school. I ran more miles in high school than most people walk in a lifetime, or at least that’s what it felt like. Upon joining the team, I was told that the coach was the also the Spanish teacher. Like most nerdy fifteen year olds, I thought I knew everything, and figured “He’ll just make us jog for a couple of miles every day.” Wrong.
This coach introduced me to a level of physical pain that I have not encountered since. We didn’t jog a few miles everyday, we trained by running until we didn’t think we could run anymore. And then, we ran some more.
There was a park, not far from my high school: La Loma Park (the name still gives me the shivers). Coach would say, “Let’s jog to the ole La Loma”. We would jog the three miles from our school to the park, then we’d run a practice course the coach laid out. The course started with a wickedly steep grade and continued half a mile in length through the hilly, undeveloped part of the park. Coach would say something like, “We are going to run this 3/4 speed (25% less than all-out), and we are going to do it 10 times.” We would look at each other as if to say “Can he be serious??” Running it twice could cure you of running forever. I remember feeling resentful – “How could he ask that of us?” The next thought would be “Why am I even doing this??”
We would run that miserable course over and over until our legs felt like Silly Putty. Just before we were ready to fall to our knees and beg for mercy, the coach would say, “OK, I guess 8 times is enough. Let’s go home”
Looking back, I don’t know how I was able to do what this coach asked. I felt that he would ask for an effort that was not only unreasonable, but simply undoable. But do it we would; we never considered otherwise. We finished the season the fourth best cross-country team in Southern California. You see, the coach asked of us what we could not and would not ask of ourselves, and in delivering that, we moved beyond what we thought was possible.
I walked away from that experience with a confidence in my physical capabilities that has never left me, and that has allowed me to hike to places that left me in awe and wonder. (Havasu Falls comes to mind).
Consider that all peak performers in any field of endeavor have a coach that provides direction, accountability, support and motivation. Why not you?
I’ll soon be introducing Success for Life Coaching, my new personal development program to help you take your goals, dreams and desires to the next level. As your success coach, I’ll be your partner in helping you
- Discover what’s important in your life; your values and dreams
- Identify your strengths, skills and resources for success
- Create goals that are in line with your values and dreams
- Design a plan for achieving those goals
- Eliminate obstacles or blocks that stand in your way
- Celebrate and enjoy your success
Success for Life Coaching is not hypnotherapy, consulting or focused on psychological issues. It can be done in person, or over the phone, and at a pace you feel comfortable with. This may be every week, bi-weekly or even monthly.
Readers of this blog will be able to get in at a special introductory level until December 15th. If you are interested, call or email for a free half hour Introductory Session. Fortunately, you don’t need to experience pain or exhaustion to benefit from coaching. You just need to be a winner who wants more out of life.
I didn’t really enjoy cross-country that much ( I switched to the track team the remaining three years: shorter distance, more glory). I constantly thought about quitting. I didn’t for one reason only: the coach, who believed we could go the distance when we didn’t.
To listen to a podcast of this blog, go to www.tedmoreno.com/ted-in-your-head episode 38.
Gut Health with Coach Leiah R – Episode 417
In this episode, 
