Milesplit Arizona Cross Country Journals
Aeoleone Bristow returns this season as one of the top runners in Arizona finishing 3rd on Friday with a new PR at the Desert Twilight XC Frestival. Aeo has been a top cross country runner throughout high school placing 2nd at the AZ State Meet as a freshman and winning a state title both her sophomore and junior seasons. Keep checking as Aeo writes about her final months as a high school cross country runner.
Aeoleone Bristow
(Sr., Rio Rico)
Journal Entry #1 (October 5, 2010)
Introduction
Dear Runners!
Hello, my name is Aeo (A-O). My full name is Aeoleone Axa Bristow, but “Aeo” is much less complicated to explain to people. I am 17 right now, and a senior at Rio Rico High School. Rio Rico is north of Mexico and south of Tucson, for clarification. I have been around running my entire life, and ran my first race around age 5 with my dad , who is also my coach. It was all fun and mindless running back then.
Something I think is important with running/training/racing is not to forget the fun of it! I am very serious and focused on my running, of course, but I always remember to loosen up a bit and not to beat myself up over one disappointing race. When you have a downer performance, reflect on it, but never resort to “stinkin’thinkin’”! Stay positive and keep moving forward!
Another important thing is to listen to your coaches. Sometimes you hear your coach say something like, “Push the uphills!”, so many times you begin to block it out. Try to hear these things every time, because they wouldn’t be saying it so often if it weren’t important. Personally, listening to my coach is the same thing as listening to my dad. That can really be a challenge to distinguish as times, but now, as a senior, I’ve realized that after a long (sometimes brutally honest) talk with my coach-dad, I am always re-vamped and ready to race again!
I am very lucky because not only do I have an amazing coach, but I also have a great team as well! Here’s my shout-out to Danielle, Marley, Daniela, Momo, Jocelyne, and Ximena! And another shout-out to our guys’ team who help push me in the workouts. When the going gets tough, both teams help keep me going. Being surrounded by a positive, supportive team has made all the difference over the past three years.
Every season, my team and I sit down and write out our collective goals. We read them every day, and make sure to soak up the meaning of the words each time we read them together. Things such as good nutrition, study habits, work ethic, and necessary sacrifices are in the core of our goal sheets. But above all is teamwork and team dynamic. I race for my teammates, always, and I consider myself blessed to have them!! ♥
This season has started off in a truly fantastic way! We won our first invitational at Catalina and I took 1st individually as well. This past Friday night was the Queen Creek Desert Twilight Race! The meet we look forward to most (other than State). We all were so excited for it and it was so much fun! Thank you Queen Creek High School and Hardt family for putting on another great event!
(Photo right: Aeo crossing the finish line in 3rd at the Desert Twilight Meet)
Team-wise, we are disappointed in our results, but we keep moving forward and use our disappointment as fuel in practice. I took 3rd that night individually and send out my congrats to Sarah Fakler and Rolanda Jumbo, who took first and second! Also, great race to Billy Orman, Alejandro Montano, Alejandro Valencia (Dro) from RR, and all you other runners out there! It was great seeing all my friends from camp again too!
I’d also like to thank all you girls all over AZ running your tails off! It isn’t easy (nothing is) but in the end, isn’t it worth it? It’s an honor to get to race with you all. Having each other as competitors only makes us better. RYAO!! Please don’t hesitate to holler at me next time we’re at the same meet!
So, I’ll sign off now! Thanks to: Rex(ford) Woodbury for the pointers on this Journal, Margot Kelly for all your dedication and hard work! Half the things you do for AZ Milesplit are never acknowledged and they really ought to be! You. Are. Amazing.
And thank YOU, Runners, for reading it!
Run Tough!
*Aeo*