Last Lap by Mike Housley – May 8th, 2016

The first races of the Spring have taken place and I am hearing some concern from athletes about who is beating whom, and whether or not they will qualify for the City finals in elementary school or metro finals for high school.

 First and foremost, your main competition should be with yourself! Aim to improve your best times and don’t worry about the other kids.

Whatever your time in your favourite event is now, think of how good it will be if you improve 2-4 seconds every year for the next several years!  Remember, we are in this sport for the long haul. And some people improve at different rates than others. When my daughter Kate was in grade 9, the girl that won the OFSAA 800 was so impressive that I did not think my daughter would ever beat her. (and I am an optimist!) But the very next year my daughter did beat her! More importantly, my daughter continued to improve over the years and enjoyed 8 years of success and satisfaction from running right through university.

That is what I hope for all of you.

And a small note to parents; be careful to not put too much pressure on your child. Even a good faith comment like “I thought you would run faster today ” can sting, and make your child worry that they are letting you down.
Good luck in your next race!