Required Maintenance
Take care of those little things so you can take care of the big things.
Long Runs. Speed Runs. Intervals and Fartlek Runs. Recovery Runs. Tempo Runs. Sexy stuff. They all come with minutes and meters and miles run. There are paces involved. Barriers broken through. You get up early for these things. Heck, you even get to bed early for them. You post on social media about this stuff. You meet friends to do these runs together. You drive to tracks and trails and favorite loops for these efforts. They are big deals. And when you start running these big deals can be hugely intimidating. You can wonder whether or not you have what it takes to get them done. But if you stay consistent and progress patiently… you will get them done. And then you find out a sobering truth. It’s no longer about the big stuff. Nope. It’s about the little things. Because it’s those small drills, wee exercises and itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny tasks that will make or break your ability to do those big things consistently.
Cutting lettuce. That’s what I call it - those seemingly insignificant (and relatively easy) tasks that I loathe to do in the midst of a bigger project. It’s all just cutting lettuce to me. And I hate cutting up lettuce. I can’t stand it. I have no problem putting together a complicated meal for the Bennetts. There are five mouths to feed including my big one. I can have every burner on the stove burning. I can have the oven on 400 degrees. I can be be mixing and grinding and pounding and stirring in my small and stuffy kitchen and not have a complaint in the world. But when it comes time to cut up the lettuce I melt down. I just can’t stand cutting lettuce. I’ve spent time… seriously… trying to figure out why I have such an aversion to it. It’s not about texture. It’s not about taste. I love lettuce. I honestly think it’s because I don’t respect the activity. It’s such an easy thing to do. It’s such a quick thing to do. It’s simple, straightforward and uncomplicated. It’s a small thing. I think it sucks.
It’s like drinking enough water. Is that hard to do? Like 50 minute run hard? Like 10 x 200m with 60 seconds rest hard? Like hilly recovery run in the rain hard? Like Saturday morning long run in the winter hard? No. But do I drink enough water? Well, sometimes I do. But sometimes I don’t. Why only sometimes? Because it’s too easy to do. That’s why. And maybe that means I don’t respect the effort it takes and therefore don’t take it seriously. Same goes for my strength training. I’m not talking about going to a gym and doing a 45 minute circuit of expensive and complicated machines. I’m talking about a wall sit, some backward lunges, a few calf raises, and some leg raises while I lie on the floor for crying out loud. Maybe even a plank for a minute or two. This isn’t anything I can’t do while giving almost my complete and total attention to a Knicks game or another episode of Shogun.
But do I get up off the couch and move four feet forward and do that lunge? Not consistently. Do I stand on one leg and maintain my balance and therefore strengthen my lower leg while I wait for the tea kettle to whistle? Rarely. (And yes, I have a tea kettle and yes, it’s old fashioned but like typewriters, vinyl albums and the Nike Air Trainer 1 some things can’t be improved upon.) Instead I try to convince myself that it’s the big things that really matter. Who cares if I do those silly little hip flexor exercises? Does it really make a difference if I start the day with a glass of water? Is there truly a benefit to getting a better sleep? Are you trying to tell me that warming up… which is just a Runnerds way of saying run really, really easy for 5-20 minutes… is going to have a noticeable impact on my speed run performance?
The answer is emphatically yes. That’s why I inundate you all with little messages all the time about the little things. Yes, I believe that you need to hear about the importance of those little things more than you need to hear about the significance of those big things. Because you already know and believe and trust that those big things will have big benefits. And I know that you’re not quite sure how big the benefits are for all those little things. I also tell you all the time because it serves as a reminder to me too. I need to hear the message as well.
And we need to hear this again and again because eventually it is those little things that become the things that demand our biggest efforts. We’ll get to that starting line for the long run and we’ll run that long run but we won’t always fuel as well as we should before and after that long run. We’ll do the repeat 800’s and we’ll nail the efforts on those intervals but we won’t always warm up and cool down the way we should. We’ll do the easy run in the rain but we won’t get warm and dry as soon as we should after we finish. We’ll do the night run but won’t put that new battery in our head lamp. We’ll hit the trails during the winter but we won’t take the time to pack a hat and gloves to run in. And eventually what we don’t do will catch up and pass what we do do. And when that happens it’s only a matter of time until we no longer can do what we want to do because we weren’t doing what we needed to do.
I always end up cutting the lettuce. I complain every time too. Half-heartedly complain. It’s kind of the deal I have with the universe. I’ll do it… but I get to curse a little under my breath about how meaningless this action is. The universe allows it. Because the universe knows that I know just how meaningful that cut up lettuce really is. It’s not going to get the compliments like the tacos get. It won’t get noticed like those extraordinary meatballs I make. The finely shredded lettuce won’t be raved about like like the cajun chicken will be. But the lettuce will be missed… eventually. Because it’s rich in anti-oxidents, fiber and folate. And different types of lettuce can be great for your heart and eyes and bones and teeth. Lettuce is like the rug in the Big Lebowski. So keep cutting up the lettuce in your life. Because even though it may seem worthless… it’s worth it.
Cheers,
Coach Bennett
PUNK ROCK TRACK & FIELD
(I made this video a long, long time ago. It’s only 600 meters long. That’s 3 laps on an indoor track. Indoor tracks are usually 200 meters long. That’s half the distance of an outdoor track. Anyway, watch the video. This race is nothing short of badass.)
I love Indoor Track & Field. I mean I really, really love it. I was born and rainsed in the northeast United States where Indoor Track & Field is a big time sport. There are races every single weekend. And over the last 10 years there have been a number or extraordinary facilities built for the sport. Participation continues to grow at the youth level. And something that would make me very happy to see over the next few years is a marked increase in participation from people over 18. Yeah, I’m talking to many of you. I’m even talking to you high schoolers and teenagers currently competing in Indoor Track & Field. You can and should compete indoors after you finish competing at the high school or youth level.
This is a life long sport. And I don’t just mean running on trails and roads. Running and racing on outdoor tracks can be a lifelong sport. And running on banked 200 meter tracks that remind you of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome while the Ramones rip through an especially blistering live rendition of Rockaway Beach can also be a life long pursuit. So, remember, this sport is yours… all of it. And there is room on the starting line for everyone. I’ll meet you there.
CELEBRATING THE BEST
Last week I was lucky enough to get to travel to Colorado to celebrate the boys XC team from Niwot High School. They won the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in early December. And they won in dominating fashion. This was the first time we traveled to a winning school and held a pep rally so we could make sure their school and community knew just what an extraordinary achievement winning NXN is. It was an awesome experience. The band played. The cheerleaders cheers. And 2 x Olympian, 4 x US Champion, American Record Holder (Indoor 5K) and Niwot HS grad Elise Cranny was there to congratulate the team and visit here old stomping grounds.
Niwot not only has a great boys program they also have one of the best girls XC programs in the country. In fact, the girls team was the runner-up team at NXN in 2023 and one of their runners - Addie Ritzenhein was the national champion in 2023 and was First Team All American this year. Addie helped Elise Cranny deliver the team national championship trophy to the boys. We were able to celebrate both the boys and girls and make sure the school - the students, teachers, administrators, staff, families - all knew that they were a part of this national championship victory too.
Congratulations to the boys and girls of Niwot HS and Coaches Christenson and Bloom on an all time great season by an all time great program.
We’re working with the Mountain Vista girls team and school so we can celebrate their NXN championship soon. I’m already looking forward to another victory party to another high school. This world of ours needs more celebrations not less.
Click the link below to watch the local ABC News affiliate TV station coverage of the Niwot boys XC team Nike Cross Nationals celebration pep rally.
ABOUT THOSE NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
Just a little message for everyone that set (or still may set some) New Year Resolutions.
Tap that beautiful face to watch the video/
TWO COACH BENNETTS TALKING IS BACK!
It’s true! Just look below. That’s a NEW episode. After taking 2024 off we are back in 2025 baby! Give the latest episode a listen and if you are not already subscribed/following the podcast we are kindly asking that you start subscribing/following the podcast. Both coach bennett the greater (tammie of the show up society) and I are planning on dropping a new episode at least very two weeks.
NEW COACH BENNETT’S PODCAST
You’ve got two new episodes to catch up on if you haven’t already. I’ve included links to both Apple Podcasts and Spotify but Coach Bennett’s Podcast is available on pretty much all podcast platforms. So, no matter what platform you listen on I want you to know that I am so grateful that you listen to the show.
🌟❄️BEST RUNNER EVER: WINTER EDITION❄️🌟
❄️❄️BEST RUNNER EVER IS BACK❄️❄️it’s a month long program in February that will get you closer to that best runner ever that you have inside you. Get all the details and registration information at the link below. We’re so excited for this! Hope that you are a part of Best Runner Ever Winter Edition ‘25!
Click here to get all the information and registration details for Best Runner Ever: Winter Edition!
Well, that’s that. Thank you for reading. Thank you for being cool and kind. How do I know you’re both? You can’t be cool unless you’re kind and if you’re kind… you’re cool. That’s how.
Cheers to you and one more thanks to everyone that’s a paid supporter of this newsletter or thinking about becoming a paid supporter. I truly appreciate it.
Take care of yourself and take care of each other.
Until that next starting line…
Coach Bennett
I know the lettuce is a metaphor and all that, but what really helps is getting a super sweet, super sharp knife. I got a fancy one for Christmas this year and it makes chopping so easy it's fun. Really!
Yes you’re totally right about the small things, like warm up & cool down. PS I like lettuce