Hi, my name is Erica Richardson. I’ve been a runner for most of my life and was recently privileged to have Bill’s Bike and Run and Teton Toyota become my sponsors. As a result, Bill’s Bike and Run is willing to let me use their blog page to share my personal experiences. I know I wouldn’t be the runner, mom, coach, and housewife I am today without wisdom I have drawn from past experiences. So that’s where I’d like to start – in the past, the year I graduated from Idaho State University.

My senior year at ISU brought me some of my greatest triumphs. Near the end of the cross country season I surprisingly came out on top at the Big Sky Cross Country Conference Championships. I wasn’t supposed to win, but that was a day when my desire to do well overcame any pain I was feeling. I was the only female athlete from ISU to ever win a Cross Country Conference Championship. I don’t share this experience to boast, but to share the wisdom I learned from it.

That wisdom is: winners never quit. I’m not saying that all winners take first place. I’m saying that you can be a winner if you never give up. When I graduated from ISU I wasn’t ready to be done running but there were more important priorities in my life, such as my family. It has been so wonderful to feel like a winning mother and wife. Some of the best experiences I have had in my life have been with my family. Over time I was able to return to running and it has become even more fulfilling than ever before because of the support I have from my family. One of the best parts of my day is when my son Logan realizes it’s time for track practice and begs to come along with me. Or the willingness my husband shows to make dinner, do the dishes, and take care of the kids so I can get in a few extra miles each day.

All the hard work has started to pay off. Just last month I was honored to participate in my first USATF event, the Cross Country National Championships. I knew I wasn't going to get first, or second, or third, but I was shooting for top 30. I can honestly say I've never run in a race before where my legs were ready to give up halfway through. But I couldn't give up because I had worked so hard to get there. While I watched runner after runner slow their pace (with some even dropping out of the race), I kept thinking to myself, "I have to keep pushing." Thankfully, my coach, Sean Schmidt, was able to help me stay focused on my goal. Plus, I knew I had so many family and friends back home watching live USATF TV that were anxious to see me finish. I couldn't disappoint them. 8 kilometers after the start of the race, I was so grateful to cross the finish line after the most physically grueling race I had ever run. I had no idea what my place was until Coach Schmidt told me I had gotten 23rd! And my team, the Boise Betties, had placed 3rd overall! My team and I were able to accomplish so much more than we had ever dreamed of because we didn't give up. I knew we were all winners at heart.

My advice to those out there would be this: whatever priorities you have in life, make your #1 priority something you can ‘win’ at. And make sure you have good support from your family and friends because winning is ten times better when someone is there to cheer you on.

I'm excited to add more posts to this blog in the future. I hope that my wisdom and advice can help more people than just myself.