​Lessons in Class: My Time with Coach Bill Miles

​The Coaches Who Shaped Us: This is the first in a series of three blogs that discuss how my running coaches influenced me, shaped how I coach runners, and explains why I create events like the ones delivered by Challenge Northwest. Bill Miles is the source for the "Bravest runner is the runner who thinks they will get last but shows up anyway" philosophy.  ​

The author with Bill Miles at the 1992 Minnesota State Meet

Bill Miles giving pre-race instructions at the 1992 Lake Blue Conference Cross County Meet

Bill Miles wasn't just a cross country coach; he was a history teacher who understood the arc of young lives, including mine. His classroom became a kind of sanctuary where even the most improbable declarations were met with patient wisdom. I still remember marching into his classroom one day, full of teenage certainty, to announce I would only run track if he promised I'd never have to run the two-mile race. Bill probably chuckled after I left, knowing what I didn't – that I would eventually become one of Minnesota's top distance runners and win the individual state championship in cross country in the fall of 1993.

That was Bill's genius: he saw potential in his athletes that we couldn't yet see in ourselves. But more importantly, he knew when to guide and when to challenge, when to nurture and when to deliver hard truths. As a history teacher, he brought perspective to everything he did. His pre-race speeches weren't about winning; they were about life. He'd remind us that racing wasn't truly important – what's important is going home and finding out your parent lost their job or your dog has cancer. The sun would always come up tomorrow, our mothers would still love us, and as far as he knew, no one had ever drowned during cross country.

"Act with class" wasn't just a catchphrase for Bill; it was a fundamental principle he lived by and expected his athletes to embrace. I learned this lesson personally during my junior year when I was sidelined with an injury during the state qualifier. Instead of celebrating my teammates who stepped up to ensure our team's qualification, I pouted about not racing. Bill pulled me aside and delivered his "act with class" speech. It wasn't just about running – it was about being a better person, about supporting others when things don't go your way.

As a family man and dedicated teacher, Bill showed us what it meant to balance passion with responsibility. He didn't just coach running; he coached character. When my own family was going through difficult times with my parents' divorce, he became more than a coach – he became a steady presence, taking me out to breakfast almost every weekend for several months. This was time away from his own family, his own kids, just to make sure I had someone to talk to. That level of sacrifice and care showed me what real coaching meant – it wasn't just about training athletes, but about being there for young people when they needed guidance most. He understood that sometimes teenagers need more than just athletic guidance.

What made Bill exceptional wasn't just his winning record, though he was arguably the most successful cross country coach in Minnesota history. It was his ability to see the bigger picture. He understood that high school athletes are works in progress, that we would be immature, that we would make mistakes, and that these moments were opportunities for growth. He knew when to laugh at our teenage declarations (like my resistance to the two-mile), when to be stern about our behavior, and when to simply be there as a supportive presence.

Today, when I coach my own athletes, I try to channel Bill's patience, his wisdom, and his understanding that coaching is about more than just winning races. It's about helping people find their way, about teaching them to "act with class" even when things don't go their way, and about seeing potential in them that they might not yet see in themselves. That's Bill Miles's true legacy – not just the championships won, but the character built along the way.

---