Success

So it's been 3 months since I made my last post and so much has happened. Actually, so much has happened these past two years I don't even know where to begin. I set goals for myself, worked at them, failed countless times, dealt with setbacks/ injury's, but finally in the end triumphed and achieved what I had set out to accomplish. I am thrilled to say that I made it and that I am on the team!
It is still a surreal feeling and I'm still on cloud nine. I remember receiving my first articles of gear after our first workout day. When I got back I showered, got dressed, and put on that grey T-Shirt that said Mississippi State Track and Field. I looked at myself in the mirror and I lost it. It was a very emotional moment for me. I remember time after time having dreams about that same moment and when it finally happened it was surreal. Its been almost 2 months since the first day of official practice, and I still can't believe its happened. The feeling of accomplishment in living out a dream of yours never gets old.

Training has been going the best it ever has. I was averaging between 60-65 miles the past 5 or 6 weeks and have seen huge improvements already. We had an 8 mile progressive tempo on sunday morning and I ran it in 44:28 averaging 5:33 pace. A year ago I would have never thought I could run this fast. Let alone in a workout. This has been possible because regardless of how well I am doing there is whole team of people ahead of me that believe in me and push every step of the way. I think there is a strong mentality on this team that no matter how well you do, you should always search for ways to improve what you did and to never be satisfied. One of my teammates told me about how every member on the team represents a flame. Each and everyone of us should be fired up on our own and have a passion to compete and improve oneself, but when we get together we all feed off of each others flame and become a raging wildfire that can't be stopped. On and off the track we are one unit, and share one heart beat.
Theres a saying that goes "For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack" and I believe the XC team here represents that perfectly.
These guys are the toughest and by far the most talented athletes I have been surrounded by. They all have the same passion and love for the sport that I have and to be able to call them my teammates and friends is truly an honor.

I have high hopes for what my future on the team holds. It's going to require me to work harder than I ever have before, but this is just the beginning.

I noticed that my story has reached people in 10 different nations. For those of you who are still chasing a dream of yours I hope my story inspires you even more. I want to represent the idea of possibility and handwork. Go after what it is you want, and don't look back. You are going to face hardships when you chase your dream, but you can not give up.

Ultimately though, I was not able to do this on my own. My lord and savior Jesus Christ was with me every step of the way and he gave me the strength to keep pursuing my dream. If you put your faith in the lord, dedicate what it is you do to him, and truly put the decision in his hands you will receive his blessings. It might not be how you wanted to receive them, but he knows whats best for you. I told him that I would stop running if he made it clear to me that that was what he wanted, but until I received an answer I would be working as if it was in his plan. And I am very happy to say that it was and is.

-Lucas-

"Our greatest glory consist not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
Oliver Goldsmith"

"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started."
Steve Prefontaine

-PS I will be doing an update on the workouts we do every two weeks. I will make my first post late this week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-jwWYX7Jlo