Experience is a great thing. Those with experience generally have a tremendous advantage over their peers in any endeavor.

There’s another side of experience that doesn’t get so much press and that is having so much experience that you take what you do for granted, sometimes even go through the motions.

Mike Smith, the cross country coach at Northern Arizona, who’s teams have won 4 of the last 5 NCAA cross country championships works hard to avoid this take it for granted thing.