It's like I was a cross county manager all over again

I'm not sure how many are aware of this, but I'm currently on my parents' couch in Iowa while I'm in-between apartments in Kansas and Colorado.

Ok, ok, ok. Not really on their couch. I have a bed. And I'm rarely on the couch at all. I prefer the recliner. And I am still working remotely for my current job, so I still spend the majority of my day in front of my computer.

ANYWAY ... that's not the point.
The point is that I was lucky enough to happen to be around, with little to do, the same weekend as my High School Alma Mater's cross country invitational. In high school, long before I was a runner, I was at least smart enough to know I wanted to hang out with runners .. and not those silly track people who just sprint around in an oval - distance runners who aren't afraid to get dirty.

That's right. I was a manager for a cross country team. I lettered all four years.

Hey. It's actually quite a bit of work, especially the weekend of our own invitational.

I was the official timer. I know. It was quite stressful for a 17 year old.

This time around, I was hoping I'd have a different job.

Nope, same job. Well, sometimes I was the backup, so it wasn't that big of deal.
It did feel a little different. Those kids seemed so small. And I really appreciated the finishes a lot more - especially those kids who gave all they had to get that one last person who was in front of them. I couldn't help myself and was cheering rather loudly for those kids.

Then there were times we had to stop the clock before the last few got in. It made me sad, because I know they still want an official time. "They will just be last." HEY. It may be last place, but it could be a PR.

I mean, it was highly unlikely, given the dew point was 70* and it had rained the night before and on and off during the meet, but still. Us slow pokes who have no chance of placing high still have a very important person to beat: the person we were at the race before.

I didn't win any of those arguments. the show had to keep rolling. But their coaches kept time so I know they still got what they really needed.

After the meet ended and everyone skee-daddled, I stayed behind to help clean up. And, what do you know? I found myself helping my old coaches take down the camp. I know this will totally make me sound like an old farty adult, but back in my day, the coaches were not the ones taking down camp. The runners and managers were. And no one was leaving sweatshirts and tshirts and crap behind. Maybe that's just what an awesome manager I was. Who knows.

Still I enjoyed it. I was wonderful catching up with the coaches, and I even saw my favorite teacher from junior high, whose youngest was running JV that day.

All in all, the one thing I took away was this: I kind of want to coach cross country.

Great. As if I need another thing on my "to do" list.