This past week has been an exciting one. Thanks to weather-induced complications, the SLIAC meet was moved to our campus here in Elsah. We all got a kick out of the fact that one of the reasons we got to host was that ours is the only school with so little traffic that they wouldn't need traffic police. The Conference meet went really well (we apologize to everyone who isn't used to running those hills), and having the whole conference together for the awards ceremony was a lot of fun.
On Saturday night, we had a Halloween party at one of our assistant coaches' house, and the winning jack-o-lantern was our head coach's hands pulling the headband off of a team-member's head. (There are several girls on the team who wear headbands, and Coach has a habit of sneakily pulling them off.)
And now we've begun training for Regionals! Despite the fact that only the top seven runners on each of our teams will compete, the whole team showed up for practice today. I said in my very first entry that cross country practice offered a nice break from schoolwork. Even now, at a point when we're just getting busier and busier and many of us are done competing for the season, we're always happy to come to practice, improve our running, and spend time with each other.
All the best,
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
Showing posts with label Women's Cross Country. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Women's Cross Country. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Amber Dahlin's Women's XC Student-Athlete Blog #5
As we've been training for the Conference meet this Saturday, we've been on a tight schedule. By this weekend we will have run two "pace cognition" workouts with a combination of harder runs and recovery days in between. This past Saturday, we ran a "fartlick" work-out, in which we intersperse a normal run with short near-sprint bursts. On Sunday we did our usual long run, some going for as long as 12 miles! That'll be the day.
A highlight of this week was hearing the story firsthand of a now 79-year-old man who ran a marathon 4 years ago after having only ever run 10K. He built up a training regimen but didn't even tell his wife and daughter that he was doing it until the day of the race. He ended up finishing first in his age group. The moral of his story, he said, was that we shouldn't not do anything because of age. Just imagine if everyone disregarded age in everything they did and didn't do. It's nice to keep in mind as we run, knowing that it really can be a life-long sport. And even if our times aren't the same when we're 75 as they are in college, our mental strength and endurance can only improve.
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
A highlight of this week was hearing the story firsthand of a now 79-year-old man who ran a marathon 4 years ago after having only ever run 10K. He built up a training regimen but didn't even tell his wife and daughter that he was doing it until the day of the race. He ended up finishing first in his age group. The moral of his story, he said, was that we shouldn't not do anything because of age. Just imagine if everyone disregarded age in everything they did and didn't do. It's nice to keep in mind as we run, knowing that it really can be a life-long sport. And even if our times aren't the same when we're 75 as they are in college, our mental strength and endurance can only improve.
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Amber Dahlin's Women's XC Student-Athlete Blog #4
We had our home meet this past Friday in the cornfields across the street, and lots of fans came out in the wet mud to cheer us on. A good 20% of the trail was deep, slushy, slippery mud which really slowed us down, but most of us had a lot of fun with it anyway.
I personally started out the race way too fast and then had a lot of trouble half way through, but I was really thankful for all the encouragement from the sidelines and was proud to be able to finish. Our top runners came in first in each race for the second time now, and both made it as SLIAC Runners of the Week!
Before practice yesterday we shared gratitude, and one of my teammates said he was grateful that we still have meets like the Cowbell Classic and hopes we always will. I agree. For those who don't know, "Cowbell" is what we call our home meet, and the tradition goes that visiting teams bring pie as their entry fee, and we get to eat the pie after we race! This year it had been raining for a solid couple of days beforehand, so the meet was very wet, but it was worth every minute, and as that same teammate pointed out, it just means we'll never forget it.
It continues to be pretty wet and overcast, but we've been doing lots of fun work-outs on the track and the less muddy trails around campus. When it's actually raining, we meet at our athletic facility that's got an indoor track, and on those days, every other team is in their too. It's one of the only times that we get to feel like a whole Principia team, instead of just our individual sport teams.
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
I personally started out the race way too fast and then had a lot of trouble half way through, but I was really thankful for all the encouragement from the sidelines and was proud to be able to finish. Our top runners came in first in each race for the second time now, and both made it as SLIAC Runners of the Week!
Before practice yesterday we shared gratitude, and one of my teammates said he was grateful that we still have meets like the Cowbell Classic and hopes we always will. I agree. For those who don't know, "Cowbell" is what we call our home meet, and the tradition goes that visiting teams bring pie as their entry fee, and we get to eat the pie after we race! This year it had been raining for a solid couple of days beforehand, so the meet was very wet, but it was worth every minute, and as that same teammate pointed out, it just means we'll never forget it.
It continues to be pretty wet and overcast, but we've been doing lots of fun work-outs on the track and the less muddy trails around campus. When it's actually raining, we meet at our athletic facility that's got an indoor track, and on those days, every other team is in their too. It's one of the only times that we get to feel like a whole Principia team, instead of just our individual sport teams.
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Amber Dahlin's Women's XC Student-Athlete Blog #3
This past Saturday proved to be the most amazing day. We left on Friday for the long drive up to Wisconsin, spent the night at a hotel and then arrived at the Warrior Invitational, hosted by Wisconsin Lutheran College on Saturday morning. I had been looking forward to running this race despite a problem that I'd been working through in my leg for quite a while, but just before the race, I decided that I shouldn't run after all.
One thing I love about our team is that our decisions are always supported, whether we decide to run or not to run. Even so, I was extremely bummed out not to be racing, and especially once it started, I wanted nothing more than to be out there with them. But not running turned out to be exactly the right thing for me.
So far, I've been one of the slower racers on the team, which has meant that I never get to see my teammates finish. Well on Saturday, not only did I get to see everyone finish, but I got to see all of them along the way too, and it was unbelievably inspiring. I had heard previously about how our top runners placed well, but not until this race did I actually see what that entailed. And it happened to be a race in which teammates of mine came in first in both the women's and men's races, which made it all the more inspiring to watch. It just goes to show that neither a single meet nor the whole season on the team is about just the running part, or any single part for that matter. Rather, it's all about the entire experience, and there's always a good lesson to be learned, no matter how you're supporting your team and yourself.
Before our meet, an elementary-age race took place with close to 150 girls and around 200 boys, if I'm remembering correctly. So as we were warming up, we got to cheer on these kids running their mile, and then they got to see what a college meet was like. It was everyone's favorite meet so far; the weather was great, and the site was gorgeous. And now I'm looking forward to running in our home meet on Friday!
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
One thing I love about our team is that our decisions are always supported, whether we decide to run or not to run. Even so, I was extremely bummed out not to be racing, and especially once it started, I wanted nothing more than to be out there with them. But not running turned out to be exactly the right thing for me.
So far, I've been one of the slower racers on the team, which has meant that I never get to see my teammates finish. Well on Saturday, not only did I get to see everyone finish, but I got to see all of them along the way too, and it was unbelievably inspiring. I had heard previously about how our top runners placed well, but not until this race did I actually see what that entailed. And it happened to be a race in which teammates of mine came in first in both the women's and men's races, which made it all the more inspiring to watch. It just goes to show that neither a single meet nor the whole season on the team is about just the running part, or any single part for that matter. Rather, it's all about the entire experience, and there's always a good lesson to be learned, no matter how you're supporting your team and yourself.
Before our meet, an elementary-age race took place with close to 150 girls and around 200 boys, if I'm remembering correctly. So as we were warming up, we got to cheer on these kids running their mile, and then they got to see what a college meet was like. It was everyone's favorite meet so far; the weather was great, and the site was gorgeous. And now I'm looking forward to running in our home meet on Friday!
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Amber Dahlin's Women's XC Student-Athlete Blog #2
As I sit alone in my dorm room, I'm thinking back on the reasons that I decided to run last spring and on the reasons I have now for continuing to do so as part of this team. When I first decided to try cross country back in May, I was mainly thinking that I'd like to try something new, that it would be fun to be on a sports team again, that it would help me get in shape and practice self discipline, and that I might as well get over my dislike of running and prove that I could do it.
Well...the reasons I have now for running are far above and beyond those initial ones. More than trying something new and getting over my dislike of running, I have overcome countless challenges and obstacles, and I've discovered--slowly, but surely--something that I never knew I love to do, and that I now plan on continuing throughout my life.
More than just being on a sports team again, I have gotten to know and love some of the most inspiring, encouraging, and hilarious people I have ever met. It's because of my amazing teammates that I've stuck it out, and I am in awe each day of the lessons they learn through running which they then apply to the rest of their experience. Finally, more than getting me in shape and allowing me to practice self discipline, running cross country has pushed me farther, longer, faster, and harder than I ever thought I could go--and it's clear that I have a long way yet to go--and it has built up my mental toughness and overall endurance to benefit everything that I do.
When I was struggling a couple weeks ago and having a lot of doubts, my brother--a long-time runner--suggested that I examine my motives for doing this. I now examine these motives everyday and am so grateful that I decided to stick with it.
All the best,
Amber
(about Amber)
Well...the reasons I have now for running are far above and beyond those initial ones. More than trying something new and getting over my dislike of running, I have overcome countless challenges and obstacles, and I've discovered--slowly, but surely--something that I never knew I love to do, and that I now plan on continuing throughout my life.
More than just being on a sports team again, I have gotten to know and love some of the most inspiring, encouraging, and hilarious people I have ever met. It's because of my amazing teammates that I've stuck it out, and I am in awe each day of the lessons they learn through running which they then apply to the rest of their experience. Finally, more than getting me in shape and allowing me to practice self discipline, running cross country has pushed me farther, longer, faster, and harder than I ever thought I could go--and it's clear that I have a long way yet to go--and it has built up my mental toughness and overall endurance to benefit everything that I do.
When I was struggling a couple weeks ago and having a lot of doubts, my brother--a long-time runner--suggested that I examine my motives for doing this. I now examine these motives everyday and am so grateful that I decided to stick with it.
All the best,
Amber
(about Amber)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Amber Dahlin's Women's XC Student-Athlete Blog #1
As we begin our second week of classes, cross country practice is a refreshing and energizing break from schoolwork. It allows us to completely let go of everything for two hours every afternoon, creating a routine little haven in which to progress, learn and laugh together. Though its only the beginning of the term, we've been missing all of the free time we had during sports camp. At the same time, though, having practice each day, on top of of our other activities, encourages us to use our time well and get things done.
During our second meet this past Friday, a large number of my teammates ran much faster than in our first race and/or set a PR. Off to a good start! As a team that practices and demonstrates Christian Science, we have the privilege of a spiritual alternative to medical aid. Each day, we share prayerful ideas and progress during and in between our work-outs and runs.
For me, every run is a prayer, and I overcome physical problems each and every day. Perhaps our hardest work-outs have been the 1-Kilometer, hilly intervals that we've done several times so far. They have also been my favorite ones. Each time we're faced with them, we encourage each other to take each interval one at a time, and that is exactly what we do, finishing faster and stronger with every loop.
As a new runner, I have been and continue to be wonderfully impressed and uplifted by the sheer supportiveness of my coaches and teammates, both of themselves and of everyone else. I've learned very quickly that cross country is hardly an individual sport, but rather an extremely team-and community-oriented one.
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
During our second meet this past Friday, a large number of my teammates ran much faster than in our first race and/or set a PR. Off to a good start! As a team that practices and demonstrates Christian Science, we have the privilege of a spiritual alternative to medical aid. Each day, we share prayerful ideas and progress during and in between our work-outs and runs.
For me, every run is a prayer, and I overcome physical problems each and every day. Perhaps our hardest work-outs have been the 1-Kilometer, hilly intervals that we've done several times so far. They have also been my favorite ones. Each time we're faced with them, we encourage each other to take each interval one at a time, and that is exactly what we do, finishing faster and stronger with every loop.
As a new runner, I have been and continue to be wonderfully impressed and uplifted by the sheer supportiveness of my coaches and teammates, both of themselves and of everyone else. I've learned very quickly that cross country is hardly an individual sport, but rather an extremely team-and community-oriented one.
Amber Dahlin
(about Amber)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Meet the Bloggers
The following student-athletes will write a blog entry once a week (or thereabout) throughout the fall sport season. We hope you enjoy the insight into the life of Division III student-athletes that their journal will offer.
Men's Cross Country
Coree Woltering
Greenville College
Sophomore
Ottawa, Ill.
Major(s): Biology Education
Women's Cross Country
Amber Dahlin
Principia College
Sophomore
Holyoke, Mass./Hartsbrook HS (a Waldorf School in Hadley, Mass.)
Major(s): Environmental Studies
Career Goal: Sustainable developer and photojournalist
Women's Soccer
Erika Boeckmann
Blackburn College
Senior
New Baden, Ill./Wesclin HS
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor: Biology
Career Goal: “My future career goals include the possibility of research or quality testing in a laboratory or field setting. After I graduate Blackburn, I hope to enter a master’s program in toxicology, biochemistry, or microbiology/immunology. I am not completely certain what I want to do with the rest of my life but I love the idea of having a versatile, throughout education that may allow me to pursue a variety of scientific endeavors.”
Athletic Achievements: First Team All-Conference Goalkeeper (2008); Honorable Mention All-Conference Goalkeeper (2007); Academic All-Conference (2007, 2008); Team Academic Achievement Award (2007, 2008); Team Most Valuable Player (2008)
Sara Hermanson
Blackburn College
Senior
Beecher, Ill./Beecher HS
Major(s): Biology/Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Minor: Chemistry
Career Goal: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Athletic Achievements: Team Offensive MVP – 2007; Defensive MVP - 2008
Men’s Soccer
Kevin Vonarx
Fontbonne University
Senior
St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary’s H.S.
Women's Volleyball
Stefanie Larson
Webster University
Senior
Delavan, Ill./Delavan H.S.
Major(s): Advertising/Marketing
Career Goal: “I would be happy copywriting forever, but moving to a big city and owning my own agency would be pretty awesome. Or you know...creating a slogan or tagline that goes down in history!”
Other Intercollegiate Sports: Played softball as a freshman
Athletic Achievements: Recognized for three consecutive years for maintaining over a 3.5 GPA as an athlete
Men's Cross Country
Coree Woltering
Greenville College
Sophomore
Ottawa, Ill.
Major(s): Biology Education
Women's Cross Country
Amber Dahlin
Principia College
Sophomore
Holyoke, Mass./Hartsbrook HS (a Waldorf School in Hadley, Mass.)
Major(s): Environmental Studies
Career Goal: Sustainable developer and photojournalist
Women's Soccer
Erika Boeckmann
Blackburn College
Senior
New Baden, Ill./Wesclin HS
Major(s): Biochemistry
Minor: Biology
Career Goal: “My future career goals include the possibility of research or quality testing in a laboratory or field setting. After I graduate Blackburn, I hope to enter a master’s program in toxicology, biochemistry, or microbiology/immunology. I am not completely certain what I want to do with the rest of my life but I love the idea of having a versatile, throughout education that may allow me to pursue a variety of scientific endeavors.”
Athletic Achievements: First Team All-Conference Goalkeeper (2008); Honorable Mention All-Conference Goalkeeper (2007); Academic All-Conference (2007, 2008); Team Academic Achievement Award (2007, 2008); Team Most Valuable Player (2008)
Sara Hermanson
Blackburn College
Senior
Beecher, Ill./Beecher HS
Major(s): Biology/Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Minor: Chemistry
Career Goal: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Athletic Achievements: Team Offensive MVP – 2007; Defensive MVP - 2008
Men’s Soccer
Kevin Vonarx
Fontbonne University
Senior
St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary’s H.S.
Women's Volleyball
Stefanie Larson
Webster University
Senior
Delavan, Ill./Delavan H.S.
Major(s): Advertising/Marketing
Career Goal: “I would be happy copywriting forever, but moving to a big city and owning my own agency would be pretty awesome. Or you know...creating a slogan or tagline that goes down in history!”
Other Intercollegiate Sports: Played softball as a freshman
Athletic Achievements: Recognized for three consecutive years for maintaining over a 3.5 GPA as an athlete
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