~:[CH5 - Day 304]:~ A Day to Celebrate

~:[CH5 - Day 304]:~ A Day to Celebrate

Halloween always seems to be an entertaining day. To see all the creativity and ideas that people come up with, it always makes for an exciting day. Today, almost felt like two in one. After piecing together my costume, I headed to school. A few of my athletes were wearing Pokemon related gear and I even make Jepsen wear a Charmander suit. Sadly, the day fell on our interval day, so we had less people run in their costumes than normal, however, we had a few who braved it and still ran well.  While the workout was good, getting things done at practice was a little difficult and may have been attributed to the candy. In the end, they did more sets than planned, but I guess it can only benefit them. My "sister" had the most creative costume with her oven and it's up to you to see if you can figure it all out :) ... after practice I headed to California Adventure and spent the rest of the evening just wandering around and chatting in a park that slowly became less and less crowded. I was exhausted by the time I got home, but saw all the great treats that life has in store for us all. 

~:[CH5 - Day 303]:~ Milestone

~:[CH5 - Day 303]:~ Milestone

I hit a milestone a day that was great and memorable. When planning my trip to Vegas, I forgot that the Clipper game was in the afternoon. It was a saddening realization, as I knew I had to be back in Cerritos fairly early. I let my hotel at 5:30, made a drop at the airport and said my goodbyes, before driving  home. As expected, the traffic was beautiful. Open roads that went from darkness to a beautiful morning glow and then a stormy-looking facade that never reeked havoc on the drive. Before I knew it, I was home (early) and had time to shower up before heading out. I tried to nap in the car, but couldn't. I was tired during the game, which was also slow, but I made a new friend from Australia who was visiting for the first time. It was great being able to give tips and just chat. It's great to be near people who are just fans of basketball and are willing to step into any arena and catch a game. He was in awe of everything going on at the game and even treated to Red Panda for halftime. The Clippers ended up with a resounding victory and I happily napped in the car on the way home. I stopped at TapEx for some energy and ran into a billion people while there. It was nice to just chat before heading on my way. While the other games on the day didn't fall in my favor, in the end, I had a great day and am so ready to sleep. I'm exhausted, but it was all worth it in the end.

~:[CH5 - Day 302]:~ Magic Moments

~:[CH5 - Day 302]:~ Magic Moments

It's called the seven magic mountains, but where is the seventh? Sometimes, you only see part of the picture. When you think of Vegas, you think of eating, gambling, clubs, and partying, but few see how much more there is to this place than just all that. From the hiking to the shows, shopping, and a range of various activities, you truly can find something that fits you in this town. This took my attention for most of the day of my mini-Vegas trip. I've wanted to stop here a few times, passing by as I drove to the strip, but this time, I had the time to stop. Twice in fact. As I sat in front of the art piece, I just kept thinking how amazing this moment was. I wasn't in a rush, the weather was good, and I just was sitting and relaxing. Other than worrying that a snake would sneak up on me, this place took me away, as did Vegas. From the buffet to the ramen to Cirque du Soleil and great company, today was awesome and shows what you can truly fit in a single day. What's even better? Vegas paid for it all, sort of. I am truly exhausted after driving up here and will even be more exhausted tomorrow, but I will not look back and doubt that it was worth it at all. As while we may not see everything we were meant to see, just knowing that it is there, can give you the satisfaction that it is, much like these opportunities and awesome friends that you know will always be there for you. Vegas was truly magical and am glad that I decided to take on this wonderful mini-adventure. 

~:[CH5 - Day 301]:~ The Final

~:[CH5 - Day 301]:~ The Final

Pretty much everything we do from this point in the season will be the final. Today was the final food run and in the evening, the final potluck. It's always sad to see time fly so quickly, however, at some point, the end just has to come and you have to soak it all in. The potluck ended up being one of our best with a large crowd showing up and staying through the end of the night. The host house was INCREDIBLY beautiful and was a perfect setting for this potluck and everyone easily fit in the area where the movie was being played. We had plenty of food and the atmosphere was amazing. While we did not have a costume competition this year, our seniors came in basic costumes that were awesome. As I chatted with the seniors who spent the evening together, it was a little nostalgic as I thought back to their first years. While this senior class is small, they are seniors who have been around since the beginning and for that, I am grateful and blessed. In the end, I was tired and when I got home, I wrapped up a few final recommendations and packed for my adventure tomorrow. Tonight may have been the final potluck, but it definitely will not go down as my final thought of this group and these seniors, as they left an impression that will live on beyond one of these final moment together.

~:[CH5 - Day 300]:~ Catching Up

~:[CH5 - Day 300]:~ Catching Up

The morning started a little weird with the weather a little awkward and then getting word that one of my varsity athletes got hit by a car when on his bike. I finally got a response from him and glad that he is doing fairly well all things considering. As I rolled through the day, I dreaded all the work I had to do. From a large deposit, to reimbursements, paperwork, lectures and more, it was a killer day. With all the work, I almost forgot that I would get a chance to eat out with the Gohatas. Ali and I met up with the Gohatas at, where else, Pho Tasty! It was a great meal and we even asked one of the employees if we could order the LARGE bowl next time (see youtube). They laughed but I think I will bring in my own bowl next time as a joke. I headed to practice and the work out actually went fairly well. The good weather helped, but ultimately, we're being to tune up for league and we look pretty good. I stopped in the weight room before heading home to eat with my family, catch the Clippers game and get some work done. This day felt like a week, but sometimes, these are the days that are your favorite as it shows truly what you are capable of doing. 

~:[CH5 - Day 299]:~ Together

~:[CH5 - Day 299]:~ Together

It's not always perfect, sometimes not even good, but regardless of the situation, you need to make the most of it. I constantly try to remind my athletes that I want them to stay positive, to not bring negativity into the picture. It's hard to do as a high school student and heck, even as an adult; however, with the right mindset., it can be done. As I snapped this picture, it wasn't perfect, it wasn't centered, but it wasn't really an issue. As I looked at the picture, I saw a group together and while each may be just a little bit different, the difference is what makes things interesting. After wrapping up family circles, I spent the night photoshopping our annual cross country banner. It has taken forever to complete, yet as I write, I get the sense of relief that it's done! I missed out on some things today because of everything on my plate, however, it didn't bother me, as today was a great day, together the ohana. 

~:[CH5 - Day 298]:~ Mixed Generations

~:[CH5 - Day 298]:~ Mixed Generations

Just a few months ago, athletes who sat across from each other tonight, may not have known each other, yet, today, they shared a meal together at one of the places where we have a tradition - the mango habanero challenge. While the service is always slow, it always is a great adventure especially when it comes time for everyone to eat their wing. The athletes and alumni each took their turn and the reactions were quite priceless, especially those who said, "it's not hot" before the spice kicked in. We shared our laughs together and as distant as we may have been months ago, it's always great to see a new generation of runners begin to see and foster the ohana spirit. After a crazy day of taking care of deposits and paperwork, grading, and then wrapping up a hill workout, it was nice to sit down and just have a few laughs and eat some good food. Tonight is one of those nights that demonstrates why I love coaching and to see a group of athletes getting to share time and memories together is something that is priceless and worth more than the time and money I could save by not coaching at all and then some. As I retreated into my cave and planned for another day, I couldn't help but smile. Today was a good day, as the ohana spirit surrounded me and there is nothing that can top that. Nothing.

~:[CH5 - Day 297]:~ Solving the Puzzle

~:[CH5 - Day 297]:~ Solving the Puzzle

Sometimes life provides you with puzzles that you were never meant to figure out or would be so difficult that you might as well have given up a long time ago. Yet, other times, there are those days where so many things are thrown at you, yet no matter how many things are thrown at you, you're able to figure everything out. Today was one of those days. As while so much was going on, I felt as if nothing was going to spoil my groove and stop me from solving the puzzle that laid in front of my eyes. While one issue after another rolled, answer after answer came through and by the end of the day, I was still standing. As while the rain tried to slow me down, a rainbow appeared in the horizon and the clouds cleared just in time to allow for a beautiful sunset to appear. Surpassing all the obstacles in a day made me feel as if I was flying and I definitely flew through the day. As I sat in awe of the beautiful sunset, it made me see that no puzzle we face is too great for us to handle and no amount of puzzles thrown at us, will ever be too much. If we approach life with the right mindset, we'll be ready for whatever comes our way and be prepared for the good times and the days when storms try to slow us down.

~:[CH5 - Day 296]:~ Parallel Lines

~:[CH5 - Day 296]:~ Parallel Lines

It's always interesting to find people who are traveling in the same direction as you, as it is easy to relate to them. We always seem to be on an adventure in different parts of the world from each other and as far apart as we may be, our experiences are so similar in nature. While we do not see nearly enough of each other, I am glad to know that she is doing well and although at times I worry about her and her adventurous spirit, I know that she has the personality to take on the toughest of challenges. It is people like this who really push me to do more and to really find out what I am capable of, as every time I shy I way, I think of people like this would make you take a second look at the situation allowing you to realize that you CAN. As we travel separately on parallel paths, I always will have her in my heart and mind, praying for her health and happiness and while one day the adventure we chose may be the same one, for now, I am content in knowing that we can push each other to be the best forms our ourselves, exploring the world one trip at a time. 

~:[CH5 - Day 295]:~ Picture Perfect

~:[CH5 - Day 295]:~ Picture Perfect

Yesterday was an exhausting today and so this morning, I slept in. I did not set an alarm, but still woke up at about 8am, sadly. Regardless, I felt good waking up and ultimately, was energized for the day. I spent most of the morning sorting through and posting Mt. SAC photos, before designing this year's CIF shirt. I liked the design a lot and can't wait to give them out, if we are able to print it. We'll see. After wrapping that up, I headed to Clark Park, as I agreed to help out a few of my seniors who asked me to take photos for them. It was pretty fun doing it and we ended up with a pretty nice photo set for them to enjoy. We ran into another group of athletes who were shooting photos as well and ended up taking a full group photo. A whole five hundred shots or so later, we headed on our way. I grabbed dinner before changing and heading to the dance. I always love the beautiful setup and how great the students look all dressed up. There was a great crowd and it seemed like everyone was having a pretty good time. I was pretty tired and so I headed out a little early to avoid traffic and also to get to TapEx before it closed. I ended up lounging around there until it closed before heading home to get some photos organized and uploaded. On my way home, I almost got hit by a car that ran a red light and it left me wondering if the driver was drunk because it was clearly not green for them. Regardless, I survived the day and despite the ending of the day, it could not ruin such a picture perfect day.

~:[CH5 - Day 294]:~ Melting in the Sun

~:[CH5 - Day 294]:~ Melting in the Sun

It wasn't the hottest day of the season, but one of the hottest race days we had and it is the end of October. Somehow, Mt. SAC always seems to fall on a very hot day and today was no exception. As the weather climbed into the mid-90s, I focused less on times and more on getting my athletes to run smart and place as high as possible. We ended up with nine athletes receiving medals since our girls freshman team was able to finish third even with missing one of their top scorers. The times were nothing to be excited about, however, the way the athletes run was pretty pleasing to me, as they ran smart and looked as if they had enough left to finish strong. As we ventured out, the sun was blazing. We ended up sitting in the parking lot for just short of two hours since our district couldn't get a bus out to us earlier and because of traffic, but we used the time to hold a mini photo shoot and just spent time with each other before heading home. After a nice dinner, I passed out and enjoyed the opportunity to have some time to just relax. The sun drained me a lot and left me melting in the sun, but in the end, it was a great day that no heatwave could destroy.

~:[CH5 - Day 293]:~ The Unveiling

~:[CH5 - Day 293]:~ The Unveiling

It was a busy day. I was running around trying to make sure everything was good for the cross country rally while also worrying about my classes. We had some great discussions in class and felt like as the days on, the classes began to ask more insightful questions. As I stepped outside, I realized how burning hot it was, but also thought, I better get used to this because tomorrow is going to be more of the same. We got through practice and walked through the course with the team in a classroom before calling it a day. We lounged around since we finished so early and then headed off. I ended up at Sweetee Thai for a quick meal before heading off to the game. It was nice being at a game and we were actually rolling pretty well in the first half. At halftime, we unveiled our queen who is my IA for the freshman MUN class! It's always wonderful to see the joy on their faces during the crowning and the celebration which includes fireworks and all. As the night came to a close, our team fell short, but they had a pretty good battle through the game and I hoping for a better outcome in the final few games of the season. As the night came a close, I still was left with a list of things to do before tomorrow's race at Mt. SAC, but I am left just looking through all the photos collect from just this single wonderful day. I makes me wonder, how can so many wonderful things happen in a single day? I guess some days are just like that ... today was one of those days.

~:[CH5 - Day 292]:~ Sweetening the Day

~:[CH5 - Day 292]:~ Sweetening the Day

The day after a Tpumps run always is a great day. It's even better when there are themed tops to the cups for Halloween. As I rolled through my Wednesday, I was able to get a lot of work done since there was no formal meeting. I rolled through the day and ended up with a solid interval workout despite the fact that it was pretty warm. I was proud of the team as they battled through the conditions to make it through the workout with their last being one of their best. I rushed over to scrip afterward and while we were missing a lot of scrip, it was nice to get back into the swing of things. I wrapped up the night watching the presidential debate and finalizing some items for the cross country rally. As I waited for the DVD to burn, I fell asleep, only to wake up as it finished up and my computer died. Tpumps made this day better and as hot as it was, it could not spoil the day, as it was truly sweet.

~:[CH5 - Day 291]:~ Alive and Well

~:[CH5 - Day 291]:~ Alive and Well

The board read, "you're going to fail." The students looked at it and just wondered, why would he put up such a thing. Then they figured, it's Mr. Wat and stopped questioning it. I proceeded to put up five more negative comments before I talked with them. Together we discussed the challenges of life and how we must try to get ourselves to go beyond what other expect from us and move beyond where others try to keep us. There are so many negatives which keep us down and it's our own job to see the truth and to rise up. The students grasp these ideas before saying goodbye and the more I thought of it all, the more I continued to be inspired. After making a few stops, I got everything ready for the worst day of the season, picture day. Why? Picture day is such a hassle. I yell more on picture day than most of the year. It's great to take the photos, but at the same time, it ends up being tedious. Regardless, we go tour shots in and when I look at this girls picture, it reminded me of how young this team is with just two seniors in the group with half being freshmen and sophomores. At the end of the day, we survived and I ended up heading to Tpumps to reward myself. I was exhausted, but when I arrived home I realized I was alive and well and not even picture day could change that; that is, as long as I am able to upload these photos. 

~:[CH5 - Day 290]:~ When the Mind is Elsewhere

~:[CH5 - Day 290]:~ When the Mind is Elsewhere

It's a Monday and there was a pile of work to do. Then, nearly 50 students added another pile of work to do. Of course, the work ahead of me didn't phase me as I was wondering about a friend and how their day was going. I think it's a great feeling when you wonder or worry about someone else when they're having a special or momentous day. When you want to celebrate with them and cheer them on, even when you know that you can't. It wasn't a day of daydreaming, rather one where you think of someone else more than yourself. It's so hard in this day and age to do that, as the pile of work and responsibilities turn your attention to all that you have to do. However, I have never felt better hoping that someone else's day went well and than you get a message that makes it seem that all was completely amazing. All that may go wrong in your day can be solved by that message. I had a pile of work, but it will have to wait. 

~:[CH5 - Day 289]:~ Attention Please

~:[CH5 - Day 289]:~ Attention Please

I didn't think I would be tired having slept a lot last night, however, I was. As I walked around, the zombie in me came out and while I enjoyed walking around to each committee, I was exhausted. We won an award in 15/16 committees and ended up with four gavels and over thirty people with awards. The committees were pretty large, but regardless, the students did what they could to speak and as always, I was happy with their content versus simply their presentation. There will always be those I want to work harder, but was still happy with the end results. When arriving home, I knew I survived. I found a burst of energy as I cooked up some elotes from a receipe I found online. They came out like the "nailed it" Pintrest posts, where the created items come out nothing like the original. It looks so easy in the video and I struggled making it. Regardless, it tasted good. I ended up lounging around the rest of the night. I did some work, but also got in some time to watch a movie and just relax. I wish I had more of a weekend, but was still happy to enjoy a few great experiences.

~:[CH5 - Day 288]:~ When the Flavors Come Together

~:[CH5 - Day 288]:~ When the Flavors Come Together

It was Saturday morning. I headed to Regional for our last race at that park for the season. It's amazing how many different courses we run there. Regardless, it ended up being a pretty good day. While we had a smaller group for the day, the ones who attended, had a pretty successful run. While not everyone was on for the day, everyone battled hard and chased their PRs. We had four new entrants/movements in our Hall of Fame, eight in the top 25 including a race winner, and had a huge number of breakout performances. It was great. We have some healing to do before league finals, but we are headed in the right direction. We ventured together for a great meal and took over Yojie's. I ended  up heading to dinner in Little Tokyo and had a delicious bowl of ramen and walked around stuffed like a mushroom. I could barely breathe and felt so miserable and wonderful at the same time! The food was really good, especially the spicy miso gyoza. Deliciooooouuuuusssss! We ventured home and while I was going to get a little work done, I ended up passing out and waking up in the middle of the night with a sore throat. Regardless, things just came together and it ended up being a perfect combination for the day. 

~:[CH5 - Day 287]:~ Diversity

~:[CH5 - Day 287]:~ Diversity

I had a great morning of presentations on religion from our freshman. I love going over religions as they get to see how similar the religions are and understand how each religion operates and the variations between them all. As we rolled through the day, it was fun to see that the athletes wore such an array of colors and they ended up forming a rainbow. It matched the beauty of this team and how, while they are all different, they come together and mesh well with each other. It was a relaxing practice, but would be a little hectic afterward trying to get everything ready for the potluck. With a few events going on, the potluck ended up being a little small, but we still had a great time, before turning in to rest for tomorrow's race. It's amazing how in a blink of an eye, this season has come and gone and soon, it will all be over! 

~:[CH5 - Day 286]:~ Onward to Victory

~:[CH5 - Day 286]:~ Onward to Victory

It was another day dedicated to cross country. After getting the paperwork done, setting up the course, and getting all the supplies together, it was time to head to school. I was happy to not be in a rush, as I had enough time to casually get the ice and gather up all the athletes. We ended up being a little shorthanded with last minute scratches, yet, today would be a pretty good day. Our girls JV had three freshmen step up to lead the team with very impressive races. It helped on a day where we lost a few athletes who were scorers. Our boys JV took back the lead in league as they went 1-2-4 and despite missing their #3 from last race, still managed to win the race. Our girls varsity had our top girl PR by 20 seconds and finish in the top four despite tough competition. We ended up in third, but proud of how the team raced. Our boys varsity got out to a great start, but we were a handful of seconds from victory despite going 1-2. As we progress forward, there is a lot of work to do. We got adjustments to make, experience to gain and ultimately, need to get these athletes to see what they are capable of. Some of them realized it today and others, still haven't found what they have been looking for within them. My hope is that we can piece it all together, yet, regardless, the growth they have made have been them on the path towards victory. 

~:[CH5 - Day 285]:~ Mining Memories

~:[CH5 - Day 285]:~ Mining Memories

Sometimes without any intention, you come across something that brings back great memories. Whether it is a letter, a trinket, a t-shirt or a photo, it makes you smile and remember something good from the past. It is often said not to live in the past, but at times, there is nothing wrong with reliving it. There definitely are some great memories and even if the place was not what we had hoped for, we still ended up making an adventure out of it. Life is like that. You get thrown difficult situations and you need to often deal with it and make the most of those moments. Sometimes life will give you a bountiful of water to enjoy while at other times, it sucks it all up and leaves you out to dry. However, even when you're left out to dry, you can enjoy the sun that radiates overhead and look around. There are so many interpretations you could gather from this photo, but nothing more than, what an adventure it was. I wouldn't trade moments like this for the world and when you come across them, it'll leave a smile on your face, no matter what you're battling. It was a great find as I transferred photos to my computer. I have a lot of work today, but for now, I'll continue to mine these memories, which are bringing up moments I never want to forget.

~:[CH5 - Day 284]:~ Time to Reflect in Times Like These

~:[CH5 - Day 284]:~ Time to Reflect in Times Like These

As the water rolled out, creating a shimmer because of the sunset, I figured, it was great time to reflect. With the craziness of the world, it's hard to find stability. It's amazing how things can seem so bad, but in reality, there is so much good to find all around you. The water was by no means clean, yet the beauty it created was astounding on a less than ordinary surface. If we take the time to really look around and search for what we should be looking at, we can truly find something glorious in what may seem ordinary or even something that we may dislike. I still have a lot of work to do in this regard, but as I looked out beyond, I saw a reason to celebrate. There is so much around me that is good, that I know that I am truly blessed. While there are issues and problems that continue to pile up, they are no match for the optimistic view of the world I am implementing and slowly, all that is wrong, becomes washed away, leaving only a reason to celebrate. We can choose to listen to all the negativity around us and everything trying to make us upset and create more issues, however, we have the choice to inject some optimism into this world. No, not everything is going to be fine and dandy, but even on the dirtiest of waters, I can see a reflection worthy enough to be framed and because of that, I know there is hope on the horizon.

~:[CH5 - Day 283]:~ The Throwback, The Memories

~:[CH5 - Day 283]:~ The Throwback, The Memories

There was some nostalgia today. I'm not sure why. After a day of conference review, it was time for practice. It wasn't just any practice and I biked with the team for the first time. I realized the challenges that someone like Izzy faces when biking this entire course (nine times). The exhaustion is real and it was for me. We picked our lineups, talked about the course, and even worked on tactical aspects. However, in the end, there was conversation, relaxation and laughter. There was learning, growth, and bonding. It wasn't perfect and not everyone was impacted, but even though just a percentage made it through, it brought me back. After a stop at Sweetee Thai, I ran across a picture of me when I was playing youth basketball, which made me look through a bag of old photographs. I found some from past teams at Cerritos and Marina and even some of my high school days. I figured, wouldn't it be fitting to post an old school photo. I distinctly remember this picture because this group really went above and beyond. The next few years of teams after this group would have faster times, but this group (boys and girls) laid the foundation for the program we have today even though they didn't know it at the time. The energy and spirit was well-recognized and unmatched, the togetherness, the effort and the dedication was evident. It's definitely something that set the bar high and for every group that comes after, it is what they must shoot to attain. From the newsletters and websites, to the trips, outings and activities we have, much of it was because of this generation and the few generations that came before them. They had their issues, but in the end, they found a way to begin building what stabilizes today. The question is, can we continue to build a structure that stands firmly on this foundation? As the night went on, I kept thinking of these photos and wondering, knowing that answer would not be answered tonight. It's a question that all my athletes need to ask themselves. How much am I willing to give up and sacrifice? The answer will ultimate be the outline of the structure that is built moving forward. I hope that the structure that is build can withstand the test of time, but it is in the hands of the new generation. My hopes is that they realize all the work that went into building the foundation on which they stand and try to replication and/or surpass the effort that was put in. As I throwback to the history of this program, I guess it's a great time to thank all the wonderful alumni, parents, coaches, and supporters who have had their part in building this program, that the athletes of today can proudly be a part of. Without all of your efforts and contributions, there would be no program. In essence, I guess this picture sums it up. The condo of girls was not wearing a costume, but foreshadowed the heroes they would become to the generations that followed who are lucky enough to have the opportunities that they have today.

~:[CH5 - Day 282]:~ Baking in the Sun

~:[CH5 - Day 282]:~ Baking in the Sun

It was not the most ideal day to go to Disneyland, but hey, I was at Disneyland. It was hot and crowded, which didn't make it any better, but I still enjoyed walking around the park and getting on a few rides, especially those rides with air conditioned lines. It's always a place that can make me happy even when it's packed. We ended up staying for only a few hours as normal, however, it still was a grand adventure. Earlier in the morning, I was able to chat about student teaching with an alumni and I was so happy to hear of all the adventures he was having. I know that he'll do a great job! The heat did end up getting to me a bit though as I went home and took a nap. I felt much better after a few bottles of water and the nap before I kicked my feet up and watched a combination of the presidential debates, Sunday night football and an AL playoff game. I guess this is what a day off feels like. I'll take it, even if it meant baking in the sun.

~:[CH5 - Day 281]:~ Another One in the Books

~:[CH5 - Day 281]:~ Another One in the Books

The stress of the first five to six weeks of the year are always incredible. With the Cow Run, our first trip and the novice conference, planning goes on and on, on top of all the races, practices, and start of the school year. However, when all is said and done, when I look back, I always smile because I made it. This year seemed to go by so quickly. While there were some bumps in the road, the entire day felt like we had more than enough time to finish everything. I never felt too rushed and knew that everything seemed to be in good hands. People took care of things that I normally do and it just felt, well, great. It was a little crazy towards the end, however, in the end, today was a success. It'll be a long  year ahead, however, today, I kicked my feet up when I got home and watched a movie. I relaxed and put everything else aside, as we all put another one in the books. 

~:[CH5 - Day 280]:~ The Celebration Begins

~:[CH5 - Day 280]:~ The Celebration Begins 

I was pretty exhausted. By the end of the day, I was taking a nap in my car before I drove home only to load some coolers in my car to drop back off at school for the conference tomorrow. For some reason this was a long week and an exhausting prep for the conference ahead. However, as I sat at home try to edit a photo to post for the day, I thought, why do I need to edit it? After adding layers, zooming in and out and more, the perfect look was simply this. Why? Because life is just this simple. On a day where we often celebrate those who are crowned, we often forget to celebrate those who deserved to be celebrated. As I finally tossed out my multiple edited pictures, I looked at this picture and smiled. This was the picture to be celebrated. As the leader of the program, I cannot forget to fail to remember the ultimate goal, to create and continue to build this ohana. That does not mean all will be fine and dandy as I handed out push ups and had a little talk with my team. That's part of the process. However, to not to forget to celebrate individuals such as these, who sacrificed the time and energy to build this program into what it is. Who have resembled what it means to be a part of an ohana, by sacrificing for the team and while at times, falling of course, somehow finding a way to get back on course in order to lead the new generation of athletes and try to model what it means to be a part of this program. The ones who fought off the "I can't" so that they could discover that they can. The ones who dealt with the days that were too hot, when they weren't feeling to well, when it wasn't that fun, or when they just weren't in the mood. The ones who understood that it was more than just themselves, as they saw the bigger picture which included each other. The ones that this world and this program needs more of. It's not about fitting a mold but celebrating your teammate for who they are, embracing their imperfections, finding ways to spending time with each other, laughing and crying together, failing and succeeding together, and relaxing and stressing out together. We're going to go out there to compete, but at the end of the day, win, lose, or draw, the smiles I see in this picture are the smiles that are the tell-tale sign of success. While I wish one of these two made the top five, not a single ounce of disappointment moves through my veins, as I celebrate all that they have done for this program and all that they have done for their ohana. To my twelve seniors, especially the eight who started this trek four years ago, today, I celebrate you. It's not easy to stay in a family you're not born into, but you've show me that with the right mindset, the right people, and the right priorities, the fruits of our cross country ohana will always be sweet and ripe and continue to grow strong year after year. As while photoshop can provide you with the tools to make a photo fabulous, not a single tool in the program could have made this image any better, as they are simply fabulous.

~:[CH5 - Day 279]:~ The Connection

~:[CH5 - Day 279]:~ The Connection

Sometimes in life you find a person who just gets you. You don't need to try and they don't need to try either. Just through the process of being, do you find a way to complement each other. There are people I love to spend time with, because it effortlessly becomes a wonderful evening. I am a person who would much rather stay at home, not minding the isolation that comes with it. However, there are those who make going out painless and definitely enjoyable. Tonight, I realized again, how life has truly blessed me and how high of a pedestal I need to place those amazing people around me. There are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe them and each moment you get to share, I am so grateful for tonight and the many days that I have been lucky to share with them. As I lay my head down to sleep today, I will have a smile on my face and an extra beat in my heart, as I know that I have truly been blessed. While these individuals always turn down the praise they deserve, it is something that needs to be shouted loud and clear. Thank you for all of your amazingness and I hope for nothing but the best for you all, as you deserve it. 

~:[CH5 - Day 278]:~ How Cole is That?

~:[CH5 - Day 278]:~ How Cole is That?

It's was funny to come across a picture of our freshman and a senior from Mayfair who both share the name Cole. These two battled it out on the course, with our freshman finishing in second behind a Marina athlete and making it into the hall of fame. It ended up being a pretty good day with two athletes joining the hall of fame, making four total who have moved into or up in the hall of fame with two big chances ahead. I was pretty proud of my team today and also pretty happy in general. It's been a very interesting season and while  there are things that need work, things are headed in the right direction. I don't even know how many PRs we had today, but I will be counting for awhile and that's definitely a good thing. We got a week until we race next and hopefully that means, a week full of great moments coming our way. 

~:[CH5 - Day 277]:~ A Load on the Shoulders

~:[CH5 - Day 277]:~ A Load on the Shoulders

Sometimes a day can be exhausting. The load gets put on your shoulders and sometimes you feel as it never comes off. As exhausting as it may be, I haven't felt the want or need to drop it at all, however, some days are just physically draining. As I ran around trying to get everything together for the conference, I also was worry about the meet as well. After practice, I lined the course with caution tape, finished up the workout, then headed off to Costco to grab two flats of drinks, solo. I went in twice since I had the load and when I got to school, was unloading solo, at least for a bit. A few students rode by school on their bikes and stopped to help me upload. I stopped by Sweetee Thai on the way home to pick up my lunch for the next day. With a few other good things coming my way, I sat down and with the weight of things to come tomorrow still on my shoulders I sat down and rested as I knew tomorrow would be just as busy. 

~:[CH5 - Day 276]:~ A Sense of Style

~:[CH5 - Day 276]:~ A Sense of Style

A case of the Mondays is always difficult to overcome. Being the day after a wedding makes it even worse. As I struggled through the day, it still ended up being a pretty good day. I was able to get most everything I needed done completed. At practice, we battled and while it wasn't the perfect workout, there was progress. I marked some of the course, got the paperwork for the meet done, and even stopped off in Pasadena for a catch up at Abricott and Tpumps, which is always nice. As while the day came and gone, there was something about it that made it unique. Today had its own sense of style like every other day and to treasure the uniqueness in each day is something we should strive to do. As while days may seem simple and mundane, there always is some little details in each day that you can pick out that will make it special and it is that, that should be treasured. 

~:[CH5 - Day 275]:~ A Union Reunion

~:[CH5 - Day 275]:~ A Union Reunion

My goal was to get a picture of all of my former runners who were at this wedding, but with all the craziness of it all, I managed to get a picture of the former varsity boys group (at least most of them). It's amazing how time flies, but also amazing how sometimes things stay pretty much the same. As the group got back together for the wedding, it also served as a reunion of sorts where I ran across a number of former runners (about 15) and also some former MUN students. Being able to talk about the past memories they shared helped me see the bonds that they create that have made each other a big part of each other's lives. While some of them knew each other since elementary school, others connected with each other in cross country or MUN. When you start to see that connection, it provides a sense of comfort in knowing that the work put in is all worth it. As I thought about this class (and those athletes a year or two behind or ahead), it always puts a smile on my face because they truly balanced the fun of cross country with the work required to succeed. They had great moments at the various events, but also swept the district championships, won league championships, and always though about each other, showing the true ohana spirit that we hope they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. In them all, I saw this spirit and I hope that the future classes will carry that same spirit with them. Some take the idea lightly, but this class truly understood its importance and I hope that it can serve as a reminder to me and to future teams, that the ohana spirit requires just as much work to establish than running itself. It must be nurtured, as it takes time to truly be developed. I was happy to be around this group again and while this moment was a special one to commemorate the union of two amazing people, Wesley and Nancy, it also was a special reunion that I will cherish. 

~:[CH5 - Day 274]:~ Stranger Things

~:[CH5 - Day 274]:~ Stranger Things

It was nice to get a little rest in the morning as I prepped to go to Knott's Scary Farm in the evening. We had a contingent of over 40 people, which was a little crazy, but it definitely ended up being a great event. It was already less crowded than the normal weekend that we attended, which was a definitely plus. Paranormal Inc. was my favorite maze of the night as it definitely had a different spin on things. While in the process of wandering through the park, we ended up in different areas, in the end, it seemed like everyone had a pretty good time. I ended up winning two basketballs and a brick was pretty ironic. The highlight of the night was the Hanging,which is always a little politically incorrect, however, it was pretty fun even though I was sad for who they hung at the end (I won't spoil the moment). In any case, as the night wore on, fatigue set in as slowly, group by group, people left. It was late by the time we left, but it definitely was a good night and despite all the stranger things we ran into, it definitely was one to remember.