As inspired by Columbus Crew SC's win over DC United I witnessed at RFK Stadium.
Conditioning:
This is the most important part of any soccer game. It happens for months before there is even a game on the schedule. It is constant; it is grueling; it is where you build your deepest relationships. For my experience in D.C., this is college. Everyone you will be working with has been there. They have put in the time, but it is over now, and "name brands" mean very little. People can tell you how you should do it and how important it is, but what will matter during the game is how hard you worked to prepare.
Leg Day:
This is move-in day. I got to D.C., and I wanted to turn the car around with all of my belongings in it and go home. This city is intimidating. Hearing its name elicits an immediate exclamation, and everyone knows how important it is. In the end, I had to fight through all of the inclinations in my body to stop. My rational mind won out, and I'm better for it. I cannot say that I did this alone. As a part of WAIP, I had a team. We carried bags in for each other; we kept the excitement high, and when our other support systems left, we had each other.
First Half:
Pace yourself. No one told me this in D.C., but it makes perfect sense. I wanted to show up and make an immediate impact, but I almost got worn out trying. Be careful though, this does not mean take it slow or take a break. The first half is the time to test "the defense." See what you can do. I tried reaching out to people for informational interviews. I asked for more work. I explored the city. After the first half, when I was still standing and the city was still welcoming, that is when I threw myself even harder into the game.
Second Half:
The only difference between D.C. and a soccer game is that you don't get a halftime. That is why pace is so important. My second half, as an intern who still has one more year of school after this time in the city, had to be even stronger. My team cleared the way for me; we had less obligations and more free time. This second half was the time to check off everything left on my list. I had to really throw myself into my work and into the city. I needed to be memorable and stand out, the Messi, or at least the Ronaldo, of D.C.
Recovery:
Good Stuff. Shake Shack. We the Pizza. Bojangles. Pi Pizzeria. Burrito Brothers. Chipotle. Firehook Bakery. Au Bon Pain. Baked and Wired. Recovering from D.C. is exactly the same as recovering from a soccer game.
-Jordan Rennie
Conditioning:
This is the most important part of any soccer game. It happens for months before there is even a game on the schedule. It is constant; it is grueling; it is where you build your deepest relationships. For my experience in D.C., this is college. Everyone you will be working with has been there. They have put in the time, but it is over now, and "name brands" mean very little. People can tell you how you should do it and how important it is, but what will matter during the game is how hard you worked to prepare.
Leg Day:
This is move-in day. I got to D.C., and I wanted to turn the car around with all of my belongings in it and go home. This city is intimidating. Hearing its name elicits an immediate exclamation, and everyone knows how important it is. In the end, I had to fight through all of the inclinations in my body to stop. My rational mind won out, and I'm better for it. I cannot say that I did this alone. As a part of WAIP, I had a team. We carried bags in for each other; we kept the excitement high, and when our other support systems left, we had each other.
First Half:
Pace yourself. No one told me this in D.C., but it makes perfect sense. I wanted to show up and make an immediate impact, but I almost got worn out trying. Be careful though, this does not mean take it slow or take a break. The first half is the time to test "the defense." See what you can do. I tried reaching out to people for informational interviews. I asked for more work. I explored the city. After the first half, when I was still standing and the city was still welcoming, that is when I threw myself even harder into the game.
Second Half:
The only difference between D.C. and a soccer game is that you don't get a halftime. That is why pace is so important. My second half, as an intern who still has one more year of school after this time in the city, had to be even stronger. My team cleared the way for me; we had less obligations and more free time. This second half was the time to check off everything left on my list. I had to really throw myself into my work and into the city. I needed to be memorable and stand out, the Messi, or at least the Ronaldo, of D.C.
Recovery:
Good Stuff. Shake Shack. We the Pizza. Bojangles. Pi Pizzeria. Burrito Brothers. Chipotle. Firehook Bakery. Au Bon Pain. Baked and Wired. Recovering from D.C. is exactly the same as recovering from a soccer game.
-Jordan Rennie
No comments:
Post a Comment