I like that Autumn means the same thing to me at 34 as it did at age 8.

It fills me, gently. I can let things go that are no longer useful to me without judgement, in a way that isn’t possible the rest of the year. I can stop and take the time to re-evaluate what I want without feeling like I’m getting behind; I give myself space to dream, for myself and the people I impact. Fall is a reset button.

Today I watched a reset in someone else. It looked like bravery. A woman uproots her life and moves 850 miles away to run with Little Wing in an Olympic year. She shows up to the first day of official practice without a coat of armor, humble, present, and ready to work. You never fully know someone in one day, or two, or a thousand, but I know enough to know I’m very lucky to coach Jess Barnard.

Jess joins sisters Collier and Mel Lawrence to round out our team for the 2015/2016 season. It’s an amazing group. All Steeple Chasers, all talented and hard working, all unique. When I started coaching two years ago, I knew I had scientific knowledge, personal experience, a history of paying attention to world class coaching, and a desire to coach. What I didn’t anticipate was how comfortably the shoe would fit, and how much of my fall I would spend dreaming about these athletes.

I’ve been coaching for two years, but it is only now that I feel comfortable stepping fully into the title. I am a coach. I am an athlete. I am a mom. I’m me. It feels good. Let’s get to work.