Start Over if You Must- Smash’s Summer Running Progress Report 2021

Smash’s Running Progress Report Summer 2021

INTRO

As part of my job, I do Progress reports for IEP goals quarterly. This is a way to monitor progress to ensure we’re on track. Now my brain spit out a heck of a lot of those reports on the last week of school so I guess they’re in my brain waves still. Anyway I thought it about time to give myself an updated report of my running goal for the year using this format. When students start to falter, we tend to do this– we check in with them about their progress. We remind them where they are at.

When you’re stagnant in a goal or having trouble moving forward, a check in can always help the cause.

SUMMER 2021 PROGRESS REPORT 

Name Michelle “Michie Smash” Williamson 

Running goal: Given a year, I will run 555 miles.

Monitoring tool: Google tracking sheet– 12 mile minimum weekly. 

Quarter Grade: PI [Progressing inconsistently] 

Comment: Michelle is progressing inconsistently. When Michelle goes on runs, she puts in good effort. However, throughout this summer, running has been sporadic at best. Virtual instruction was difficult for Michelle in the last quarter causing her to fall off good running habits. She will continue towards this yearly goal in the fall quarter. She is still capable of completing this goal, but it is not likely if she does not start back on good habits now. 

WHY PROGRESS NOTES/CHECK INS

There are reasons we monitor and support students the way we do– it’s not just pointless paperwork (or it isn’t supposed to be when done with fidelity.) 

In education, we write comments for students using something we call a ‘compliment sandwich’. The comment is more important than the temporary grade per say. What I mean by that is, a comment can bring attention to the issue with HOPE. There is hope in a comment. A grade of ‘progressing inconsistently’ sucks but at the end of the day, what does that even mean to the parent or even the teacher? The comment focuses on the facts, BUT also the maybes.

This is why we follow the compliment sandwich, which is especially important to the struggling student. In this case, I am the struggling student.

You’re supposed to always start and end your full comment in a positive manner. Sometimes hearing the good first helps to soften the blow of criticism. It says I see you have good in there before telling you what to work on. Also you always want to end on a decent note that says progress is still possible. I always want to be honest with parents so here, I will be honest with myself. I let this goal slide for a LONG time so getting the goal won’t be easy. 

That said, I never asked for easy.

Williamsons work, so work I will. 

Saying I am struggling at this goal doesn’t mean I won’t get it. It just means I am owning up to the fact that lots of catch up is in order.

MAKEUP WORK 

In schools, we allow for students to bring themselves back in the form of recovering credits or doing makeup work. Heck, in my school, we give kids every single opportunity we can. Sometimes this entails students making up what is an insane amount of work to me, in a very short period of time. 

Hey, I get it– I’m about deadlines too. I’m no stranger to procrastination.

So today, we get after it again. 

I am not going to lie, this makeup work is going to be hard. I’m just not sure I can finish enough makeup packets to get an A+ (555+ miles) in this goal but I’ll settle for a pass– and in this case, a passing score for me would be to keep going and wrack up any kinds of miles. 

Giving up would be really easy right now, but y’all know that’s never an option.

Sometimes we can get behind in a goal, but you just have to start over and put in the makeup work. 

I WANT MY HABITS BACK 

Now, habit training is one of my huge focuses when it comes to any single goal. In this case, I need to get running back as a habit. 

The whys of losing habits vary, so instead of worrying about the whys anymore, I’m moving on to solutions. 

It is easy to lose the habit of running because once you stop, damn it is HARD to start back up. 

In all things fitness, regression hurts your body and also your soul a little. 

No one wants to struggle on something that used to be easy. 

I don’t want to go on a struggle 2 mile run when I ran 10 at this very camp last year… but alas, I must. 

The only way to get back to where I was is to start back up at day one. 

A NEW DAY ONE FOR A RUN

So, today is it– the  NEW day one for my running life. My goal was a mile for today, and not just a mere mile, but a GLORIOUS MILE. My mom came to visit just in time to start with me and once I left for the mile, it felt amazing.

As always, I’m proud of every run I do. I’m proud of myself because tearing myself down for regression would only cause more regression, and that regression would be more than physical for it hits your heart too. 

Instead of focusing on where I was last year, today I focus on today’s run. 

WHAT A GLORIOUS MILE 

There is always that one cool thing about regression and that is the joy of the start over. 

There is a joy in returning to parts of you long forgotten, whether that be a few months or even years. 

The joy I got from that mile today– oh WHAT A GLORIOUS MILE IT WAS! It sparks the memory and you get to enjoy the whole ride again because you can always start over.

GRATITUDE 

The art of gratitude has given me an increase not only in my overall happiness, but my ability to come back when something negative happens, such as regression in fitness. 

I’m grateful today for:

• the ability to run this mile. 
• the joy of the start over
• a community of friends and runners who always respect the waves of life and welcome me right back into this running life with them

START OVER IF YOU MUST

So runners, find the joy in the start over today if you must. If you never lost it, keep the joy of running alive and try to pass that on to someone else who may be struggling in their running journey.

Thanks for the people who continue to push me and check in when I get off track. Goals are so much easier among community. Having people around all trying to push each other up is the grooviest thing in the world. Put yourself among people who want you to be your best self with no competition or ill will.

My running family, my Knicks run club– y’all are my community and everything to me.

These are the supports we all need to continue to excel and level up. I am proud to have surrounded myself with the positive people I need and hope everyone finds that positive community to push and support them in progressing satisfactorily in their goals.

Find people that embrace you in whatever body you find yourself in at the moment, while still encouraging you to change your body positively.