Here is the text of a letter Michelle Rizzo wrote to the new members of the cross country team:
Hello U
of A Runners,
This is one of those things where someone
says something like, "If I only knew then what I know now..." What
I am about to tell you goes something like that. I graduated from Perry High
School in Lake County and on the first of June 1998, I began to run for the
University of Akron. I did not have
any idea about what running in college was all
I have three points to make as to how
I could have had a better freshman year.
First of all is STANDARDS. My
standards, I found out, were not high enough.
In high school, I got used to winning races from the front and not
challenging myself because I didn't have to.
Little did I think about all the other collegiate runners that were
in my shoes coming out of high school, plus those that were much better than
I was. I would toe the line against
every one of them during the course of running in college.
If I could suggest one thing to you as freshmen, it is set your standards
higher than you can even imagine right now.
You will be one step ahead of all the other freshmen that are still
racing that high school competitor. Any man who selects a goal in life, which
can fully achieved, has already defined his own limitations.
The second piece of advice I have is:
Do the little things. After I learned
what college running was about, I had to step back and ask myself what is
it going to take to make me better than the next guy, and the answer...THE
LITTLE THINGS. By this I mean those
stupid things you can't quite figure out why Scott makes you do them.
The sit ups and push ups and extra weight reps. Especially this, if
you don't like the little things, finish every workout, and don't just do
it to get it done. While you are there
for the hour or two or three, be there! Scott
puts things on your workout sheet because they are the things that make you,
Akron CC, and Track better. Commit
yourself to being on a team. Help your team by doing all you can do each and
EVERY day. (And they will help you on the days you just don't feel like being
there.) Be a leader, you'll find it is a lot easier than you think because
nobody wants this job. Be the guy
that everyone says is going to do things the "right way."
The right way is always the harder way but if you are on a team where
everyone does things the hard way think of how you will fend against the teams
doing things the easy way. In running,
the hard way is always the fastest way to get to the finish line first.
The last piece of advice I can only lend
you because this was the hardest one for me to learn and I need it back for
everything I still do in my life. IT
IS NEVER TOO LATE. Start now. Tomorrow
is never going to be today unless you start working on today. Procrastination
is opportunity's natural assassin. Don't wait till the last minute and then
when the time comes you are too tired or you are hungry. Get on a schedule.
Do it as soon as you get up, (and you might want to think about getting
up a little earlier so it is not sooo hot, you can always go back to sleep.)
That first day of practice doesn't get any further away so do everything you
can do until then. If I am telling you guys this for any reason it is this,
so you don't have any regrets for your career in running.
You can never look back and say I should have done something different.
So that you can do more than you ever thought possible, for a great
sense of accomplishment. Take a risk, for all the experience I have gained,
I didn't start with that experience, I started with the risk!
Good Luck, The harder you work the LUCKIER
you get!
Yours in Running,
Michelle Rizzo
former Univ. of Akron Runner
All American Academic All American MAC Championships All MAC Performances
800m - 2:13.49
Mile - 4:57.70 (School Record)
3000m - 9:41.99 (Outdoor School Record), 9:54.41 (Indoor School Record)
5000m - 16:28.90 (Outdoor School Record), 16:47.14 (Indoor School Record)
5000m XC - 17:17
1999 - Cross Country
1999 - Cross Country
1999 - Cross Country
1999 - Cross Country
2000 - 3000m, 5000m