by Jeff Benjamin
Vicki Huber, 1992 World XC, Franklin Park, Boston, MA
Vicki Huber was one of the finest athletes in our sport in the 1980s. An NCAA champion, Vicki Huber put it all on the track, and she did well in college, and post collegiately. Now a coach, and mother, Vicki Huber knows what its like to juggle. Here are her ideas on how to manage this challenging time.
Awaiting The Baton In The Relay Exchange Zone – Profiles Of Athletes, Coaches & Legends During The War Against Corona
Profile # 6
NCAA Olympic Runner & Coach Vicki Huber-Rudawsky
By Jeff Benjamin
“Personally, my normal daily training typically consists of me meeting my friends in the morning to run before the rest of the day starts. Some days I get a track workout in before heading to work, and these are usually by myself at my high school track up the road. To respect social distancing, I have really only been either running alone, or meeting one friend for a run. We stay at least 6 feet apart and we give plenty of distance to those we might come across on the trails. I am not able to work right now, so my morning runs have happened a little later because we are all able to sleep in a bit! I will say that I have been able to run on roads that I usually avoid because of traffic. With fewer cars on the road, I have felt safer.
As a coach, I am not able to meet with my team, which makes sense, but it is hard. I know how difficult it is to workout alone. Every once in a while, one can manage, but on a daily basis, things get tough and motivation can wane. We have an app with the kids called Remind, and we post workouts and positive messages for them daily. We have given them workouts for each day and have adapted them to be run either on a track or in an area that is not measured.
My son is a freshman in college and runs for the team, so I do get the chance to help him with the workouts that his coach sends him. This definitely helps me with how much I miss coaching my high school team. I continue to find it amazing how much I enjoy being on the other end of the stopwatch. It also helps him to have accountability and someone cheering him on while he works through the longer intervals.
For all the young athletes out there, I encourage you to stay focused! It IS hard to train alone, but you can do it!! I had to train alone for must of the summer before heading to Seoul in 1988. My college teammates were home and preparing for the cross country season, and I was home basically just waiting to head over to Korea. I went to my middle school track most of the time and pushed through workouts while local families walked the track and sometimes cheered me on. It was hard sometimes to lace up my shoes and get out the door, but during those times, I discovered how much I truly love running.
I realize this is a time of loss for everyone. No spring seasons, proms, graduations, jobs…so much that we take for granted. I am sick of the word “unprecedented”, but there really is no other way to describe what we are all going through.
Maybe this is a good time for parents to get outside and see what their young athlete was doing every day after school! There just might be some new respect for kids and their coaches. Kids, let your parents come out and time you, or maybe even join in on some of the exercises. Adults can do a warm up and dynamics! Maybe have a parent or sibling ride along on a bike for longer runs or tempos.
For college athletes, hang in there. I know that cross country laid the foundation for indoor, which was a build up for the outdoor season. The best I can offer is to step back, reset, and try to refocus for next XC or track season. There will be a sense of loss and frustration, and it really is not fair…but it is what it is, just like being tripped up, or getting food poisoning the night before a big race.
In the end, we do this sport because we love to run and we love to compete. Nothing can take that away from us, and after the disappointment and the sadness clears, when it is safe to be together again, boy will that feel so good!!!”
