S3|E9 - It’s Go Time
As the high school cross-country season winds down, it's easy to feel a mix of excitement and anxiety. Change is looming—whether it’s the shift to indoor track, the end of competition, or the unknowns of next season. Like in life, racing requires more than physical strength; it demands adaptability. Inspired by the Tofflers’ idea of "Future Shock," where rapid change overwhelms us, the real test lies not in resisting these changes but in learning to respond.
In this critical phase, you have four choices. You could deny the significance of these final races, brush them off, and refuse to see the learning opportunities ahead. Some may feel like giving up when faced with the pressure, telling themselves they’re powerless to improve their times or results. Others might fall into the trap of trying to control every tiny aspect of race day—weather, competition, pacing—forgetting that cross-country, like life, is filled with unpredictability.
But the most powerful option is to respond. In your final races, be present, as highlighted in this blog post on “being excellent in the present moment.” Acknowledge the uncertainties, but channel your focus on what you can control: your mindset, your effort, and how you push through the final meters. In doing so, you'll be prepared not just for these last races but for future challenges as well.
Change may be inevitable, but it’s how you adapt that will define your final cross-country season—and the runner you’ll become. So when you toe the line, choose to respond, not react. You'll finish stronger, more resilient, and ready for whatever comes next.
