As I begin my reading adventure, I needed to pick a good book that I found interesting and kept me in the game of reading. I landed my hands on this particular book by Chris Lear. Running with the Buffaloes is a true story about the University of Colorado Men's Cross Country team of 1998. This would prove to be one of, if not their best season, that they had ever had.
Chris Lear followed the Buffaloes cross country team for an entire season and his observations in a journal type of writing which you are able to tell right off the bat. The journey of the team begins with all of the cross country players returning to the university after their summer break. You begin to be introduced to the team and how much work each of them put in into the off season to be the baddest dogs in not only the area, but the country. Adam Goucher, you soon come to discover, is the best of the best on the team. And would prove to be a very big asset to Colorado.
You follow the team through every practice and how hard they strive to be the best that they could ever be. The team runs easily 100+ miles a week which makes my legs cry just thinking about. As the team is training harder than ever, injuries begin to spring up causing set back after set back. Just as the team is getting into running as a whole, their second man, Christopher Severy, dies in a bicycle accident. Distraught, the team finds it hard to get back running as a team. As a fellow teammate of Severy, Adam Batliner explains, "Whatever synergy we had, now we have to start over. The whole thing with synergy is every component is a key to the wholeness." Perhaps this was for the better in the long run since they find a whole new level of motivation to push themselves in the races that they need motivation more than ever. Colorado sweeps through competition after competition, thanks to Goucher.
I only have less than 40 pages left in the book and these last 40 pages are the home stretch: the NCAA Cross Country Championship. There will definitley be tension and anxiety during every flip of the page wondering if Colorado's hard work will be able to pay off when it matters most.
Favorite quotes from Running with the Buffaloes:
1. “In many ways, a race is analogous to life itself. Once it is over, it can not be re-created. All that is left are impressions in the heart, and in the mind.” I like this quote because a whole new, philosophical way to look at running. A look that never even came to my mind.
2. “In football, you might get your bell rung, but you go in with the expectation that you might get hurt, and you hope to win and come out unscathed. As a distance runner, you know you’re going to get your bell rung. Distance runners are experts at pain, discomfort, and fear. You’re not coming away feeling good. It’s a matter of how much pain you can deal with on those days. It’s not a strategy. It’s just a callusing of the mind and body to deal with discomfort. Any serious runner bounces back. That’s the nature of their game. Taking pain.” I thoroughly enjoyed this quote because I run as a hobby and this statement couldn't be any truer. After every run, I wonder "why did I think that was a good idea? I feel awful."
Pages read this week: 220
Pages read total: 220
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