I am not your coach

I don't know how dads do it. You read stories about professional football players who credit the coaching of their Dad for their success. Running is full of successful father/son coaching stories. In Triathlon Myles Stewart and Spencer Smith had their Dad as their coach, agent and bully if need be. Two guys I work with head to the practice field three times a week to coach Soccer where their kids are the stars. Then there is me. If I say, "Find a runner who you think is better than you and try to run with them in practice. The best way to get faster is run with faster runners" I get the look of "You're an idiot Dad, I can't run with them" or the worst quote ever "I'm not you, Dad". That is like the quote of death.

"I'm not you, Dad"

Now if Coach Mena were to say "Marco, today I want you to run with Darius. Stick like a fly to glue. No matter what, don't let Darius get away" Marco would shake his head and say "OK, coach". Then he would do what coach asked.

This is not a Dad feeling sorry for himself. This is a guy who admires that Father/Son coaching thing and is quite happy to admit finally that it's not in the cards for Marco and I. Today it's official "I am not your coach".

It's a good life...

Dave