Athlete Name: Cameron Deloach
School: Thompson High School
What was your most memorable meet and why?
My most memorable meet would have to be my junior year at the Jesse Owens Classic aka the ‘Mud Run’. It was not the fastest course that year but it was certainly a racing experience that was probably the most fun and yet the most dangerous. I loved it.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
It would have to be a tie between this year’s Shelby County Championships and sectionals.
Out of all of your high school accomplishments which stands out the most and why?
For me the biggest accomplishment was finally making it to state as a senior as a part of the 4x800 meter relay. The reason I say that is because it finally showed me that everything I had put in the over the last four years was worth something and that I actually had developed enough as a runner to contribute to my team in a big way.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
I would have spent more time in the weight room and taken care of small injuries sooner rather than later before they became major issues. I also wish I could have gone back in time and given myself more mental strength in my races as a underclassmen.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
For me, the most difficult things that I faced were hip problems freshman and sophomore and mental barriers I built for myself as a result. Freshman year I couldn’t even hit my times from middle school and sophomore year wasn’t much better. As a result of that it took me a while to realize that I could actually train consistently and get results in running as look as I was willing to put in the work. I wish I had realized that sooner.
What will you miss the most?
There are so many things I will miss about running with my team. I think most of all I will miss the companionship that is formed through spending countless hours together on the track and the trails. I will miss the team dinners, the road trips, the comfort of having someone by your side after a bad and the joy of having someone to relive the moments with after a good one. I will actually miss the hard workouts too, because they let you know that you are stronger than you think and hard days are were the best bonds are built.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
Love the sport and be passionate about your events, and if you’re not-find out why sooner rather than later. You have to love what you’re doing, you have to love running. Running is not always kind. You’re not going to go to practice every day ready to run, you’re not going to have a PR in every important race when you need to, every season won’t go as planned, but keep going because when you look back you’ll be so happy to see all that you’ve accomplished, big and small.
What are your post-highschool or college plans?
I plan on attending Auburn University in the fall with a degree in Biomedical with a pre med focus. I would also like to minor in Spanish. As far as running, I hope to join club athletics and help reboot the NIRCA club running chapter at Auburn.
Who would you like to say thank you to?
First and far most, I would like to say thank you to God for leading me to take part in such a wonderful experience in my life. I would like to thank all the coaches for doing such a great job, for believing in me and for pushing me. I would like to thank the parents for carting my team mates and myself around and being so kind over the years. I would like to thank my team mates, especially my distance girls for becoming my best friends, my biggest competition and my biggest cheerleaders.