Athlete Name: Eshan King
School: Randolph
What was your most memorable meet and why?
Definitely the 2014 outdoor state meet. Before that, I had come so close to an individual state championship many times. Whether it was XC, indoor, or outdoor track, there had always been one or two athletes faster than me that season, putting me on the podium literally dozens of times, but never achieving an individual win. In the months before the meet, my senior year had been extremely stressful. I tragically lost a close friend and my classes seemed to be overwhelming. My only release was running, and while I wasn't able to run every day, I definitely looked forward to every run and workout. I matured a lot during this time, and while my training wasn't where it should have been, I knew that a state championship would be a perfect ending to my high school running career. In class the weeks before the meet, I visualized crossing the line first over and over again. Coach Twig and I formed a race plan that would play to my strengths and weaknesses and I executed them perfectly. I put everything out on the line, and not only did I achieve one state championship, I won both the 1600 and 3200. I had many random individuals introduce themselves to me and give me their support, which was incredible. I also got to race with my close friends and teammates one last time in the 4x800. I felt like there was an extreme amount of camaraderie among athletes from different teams, and we all had a blast getting to know each other and comparing training. Because of all this and the full support of my team, it was one of the greatest weekends of my life and a fantastic end to a tumultuous year.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
I'm fortunate to live in a large city, Huntsville, with a lot of good competition. Racing guys that are my ability or faster allowed me to set new PR's throughout the season, including a very memorable 800m race at the Metro Championships where I lost by .04 seconds. I was able to go down to Mobile this season and race the Mile at the Challenge of Champions, where I got 4th and set a new PR and school record. Racing guys from all over the state in indoor was also a lot of fun, because I got to race people I wouldn't normally race. It was also great racing Robert Hope at the state meet; he's really talented and pushed me to fast times this year.
Out of all of your high school accomplishments which stands out the most and why?
My two individual state championships are the most important to me. They are a result of almost seven years of running: thousands of lonely miles and hours upon hours of grueling workouts.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
I would buckle down on my summer training earlier in high school and be more consistent with my easy runs. The long runs, recovery runs, and easy runs are ultimately what make or break a season for me.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
I've had my fair share of injuries, but I don't think that anyone will argue with me when I say that the hardest part of running is getting out the door when no one is watching. My biggest obstacles were my Sunday long runs, where I would be running for 90 minutes by myself, and it was already 75 degrees at 7 AM. Getting out the door on those days took willpower that I didn't know I had. Thankfully, for most long runs I had Coach Twig or another running partner to go with.
What will you miss the most?
I'm gonna miss my 8th and 9th grade pupils, Matthew, Luke, and Colin who I became very good friends with this year. They are very talented and will go far in running.
However, I'm probably going to miss Coach James Terwilliger (Twig) the most. He's been my coach since the summer before 7th grade, and he knows me as an athlete better than I know myself. He's always been there to keep my goals in check- to reign in the lofty ones and encourage me when they were not high enough. We've run countless miles together and I'm really going to miss his guidance as I move on.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
Running is a sport that builds on itself year after year. You can't expect immediate success, or the same level of success each season. A major characteristic of a good runner is to persevere when their performance drops, even for an extended period. As a high school athlete, your body is constantly changing, and you never know when the day will come where you suddenly perform at the next level. Just have faith that the training you do early on will benefit you for years in the future.
What are your post-highschool or college plans?
I will be running XC and track at Washington University in St. Louis. I will be studying biomedical engineering on the pre-med track. Run fast and GO BEARS!
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I would like to say thanks to Randolph's team moms, specifically Mrs. Danae Quirk. They have gone above and beyond what is expected and what I deserved. The support of the team moms and the rest of the team was crucial to my success.
I would also like to thank all of my coaches over the years who have guided me and encouraged me. Its been great being surrounded by coaches who are so caring and knowledgeable.
Lastly, I would like to thank my parents for all that they have done- The money for uniforms and shoes, the rides to 5:30 AM practices, the early morning meets, the long road trips, and everything else that comes with being a parent of an athlete.