I sit now in my new apartment, in my new town, awaiting my first real day at my new job. Whew, a lot has changed! In June I accepted the Women's Head Cross Country, Assistant Track and Field coaching position at Colgate University. It was by far one of the most difficult decisions of my life, coming off an amazing year at Oberlin with a team full of amazing people, a super amazing head coach to work with, and finally (finally!) the feeling that I was getting into the groove with the coaching, living, balance.
However- "To improve is to change; and to perfect is to change often" said Frank Underwood in the Netflix Original Series, House of Cards (but actually, Churchill said it first).
So I accepted the position, moved back to NY after a six year hiatus, and started starting over. (In the midst of all the frenzy I took two weeks to work as a coach at the Stanford Cross Country and Track camps in California, but more on that another time).
As I went on my first run from my new apartment last night I began to think back to the road that brought me to that very moment. It's a circular kind of story, and to be perfectly corny, seems a little bit like fate.
When I was a senior in high school Colgate University was my first choice. I remember standing outside the steps of the admissions building gazing over the Chenango Valley in awe of the natural beauty, historic charm, and pulsing tradition that encompassed the school. Knowing that my grandfather attended Colgate, I couldn't help but feel the kindred spirit of the place. As a newbie to the whole running thing, with only one season of high school cross country under me, I knew there was no way I would be able to run at Division I. Therefore, after painstaking deliberation I ended up choosing SUNY Geneseo where I was eventually allowed to participate as a walk-on.
For running I left, and for running I return.
As fate would have it, I was lucky enough to get my first coaching job under an amazing mentor and friend who just so happened to be one of the best athletes in Colgate history; and through his guidance and support had the courage to even put my name in the hat when the job was posted.
Now, nearly nine years later I am back. And the most ironic part? I'm here to teach the one thing Colgate couldn't offer me when I so desperately wanted to come here. Life is weird!
However- "To improve is to change; and to perfect is to change often" said Frank Underwood in the Netflix Original Series, House of Cards (but actually, Churchill said it first).
So I accepted the position, moved back to NY after a six year hiatus, and started starting over. (In the midst of all the frenzy I took two weeks to work as a coach at the Stanford Cross Country and Track camps in California, but more on that another time).
As I went on my first run from my new apartment last night I began to think back to the road that brought me to that very moment. It's a circular kind of story, and to be perfectly corny, seems a little bit like fate.
When I was a senior in high school Colgate University was my first choice. I remember standing outside the steps of the admissions building gazing over the Chenango Valley in awe of the natural beauty, historic charm, and pulsing tradition that encompassed the school. Knowing that my grandfather attended Colgate, I couldn't help but feel the kindred spirit of the place. As a newbie to the whole running thing, with only one season of high school cross country under me, I knew there was no way I would be able to run at Division I. Therefore, after painstaking deliberation I ended up choosing SUNY Geneseo where I was eventually allowed to participate as a walk-on.
For running I left, and for running I return.
As fate would have it, I was lucky enough to get my first coaching job under an amazing mentor and friend who just so happened to be one of the best athletes in Colgate history; and through his guidance and support had the courage to even put my name in the hat when the job was posted.
Now, nearly nine years later I am back. And the most ironic part? I'm here to teach the one thing Colgate couldn't offer me when I so desperately wanted to come here. Life is weird!