At dawn bats dip and dive across open fields. They’re out early because the bugs are out early. I know this because I’m up too.

I’m out here with my team and we’re running. There’s not much sun lighting the streets. In fact, there aren’t many people on the streets either.

You’re probably still in bed with the covers piled up to make your bed feel full.

I don’t mean this mockingly. I would like to be in bed too, but I “have miles to go.”

Aside from the way our hot selves look in spandex, there isn’t much fun in an hour run before the sunrise, in the cold, in the dark, and with your ankles rubbing blood against the back of your sneakers. I’d prefer to be in a warm bed.

But the anxiety of waking up at this hour instills an invaluable lesson of dedication to purpose. Morning runs teach athletes to pour their whole self into sport.

When anyone puts their heart into anything, every day, twice a day, there is no chance they’re going to concede without a fight.

“I was up when the bats were out- there is no way she is going to pass me.”

So instead, you pass her during the race -because you’re driven and because you paid your dues and now it’s time to get cash back in full.

I really hope that all of you reading this can feel so passionately about anything in your life: sport, career goals, relationships, or yourself. Find something and put your whole heart in it and don’t be afraid to back down.

A lot of people fail simply because they assume that they will.

They typically are afraid of putting themselves totally into something. So what do they do? They give a little bit.

“See, I ran slow anyway, it wouldn’t have made a difference if I did two-a-days-“

The truth is that if you devote yourself to something so completely, you will hardly fail. Just have faith in your ability and chase your goals in every way possible.

Don’t stay in an empty bed trying to convince yourself that it’s full.

So it’s 6 a.m. and it’s cold out. Do you know where your cross country team is?

We’re this pack of girls up before the sun, running after stuff we can’t really see because it’s still dark.

We’re out because the girls at Fordham are out early. We’re out early because the girls at Villanova are out early.

We’re out early because the bugs and bats are out. And well, we got things we’re chasing after too.