track talk

still trying to figure out this whole being a heptathlete and a human thing.

9 • 18 • 18  hanoi, vietnam
being kind to yourself is equal but not equivalent to going easy on yourself.

being kind to yourself is

not slowing down at the top of the hill
because you’d be lying if you said you didn’t know it was going to hurt
and you never lie to yourself

only pushing the pace on the last two reps
because you had a hurdle workout yesterday
shot put practice tomorrow
and
an essay due in 3 hours

doing 8 reps, stopping for a minute break, and doing two more
because coach said to do 8 to 10 reps
and you’re a girl who loves herself some compromise

stopping in the middle of warm up to make a dog friend
but not stopping in the middle of a workout when your body is screaming
to show your new dog friend just how cool you are

bent over, hands on knees, throat burning
the cognitive dissonance of a suffocating fire in your legs
and
heat smothering your body not unlike the warm bear hugs your sister likes to give