The cool air forcing long sleeves to be worn, the variety of colored leaves on the dying grass, and rivers cold enough to be ice baths. As a runner, the feeling of running on a trail in the woods with not a care in the world is the best. Many runners get consumed with their mileage, the high-tech watches, or the brand-new Nike shirts that they forget the real joy of running. All you need is a pair of running shoes and determination. You don't have to drive across the state to train at a Division I college track facility. Just go outside your front door!
As for my previous week, I took the weekend off from racing. I focused more on what I was lacking in my training to prepare myself for the upcoming meet. Though, I traveled to Madison, AL to watch the Bob Jones Invitational. A few local teams attended and performed with very fast times. Brooks High School did an amazing job and placed 2nd in both JV Girls and JV Boys. Cody McClelland of Brooks finished Top 15, just ahead of his own teammate Byron Hurren (23rd) in Varsity Boys. Maddy Cross (17th) and Caleb Gulley (18th)of Lexington High School finished with Top 20 with impressive times also in the Varsity Boy's division.
This weekend, I will be competing at Jesse Owens. I am very excited to run this meet and it is one of my favorites of the season. Thousands of runners from different states show up and run unbelievable times. My favorite part of this meet, other than the race itself, is the atmosphere. The sponsors make it so enjoyable and do such an great job with organization. I hope to see our JV teams become even more highly competitive and place well as a team. For our Varsity runners, I hope we all do our best and place well as individuals and teams. I hope everyone is having a great season and continues to improve! I want to thank Milesplit for giving me this opportunity to share my experiences every week throughout my season!
Quote: You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement. - Steve Prefontaine