DayDay-
High school has a bad stigma. You can thank Hollywood for that. And I'm not here to defend it, but I'm here to warn you not to make the same mistake I did. It took me till end of Senior year to realize that I'd miss one small but dominating part about high school. Running.
I'm so glad I at least won that battle with you. Or maybe running did it all by itself. But thank God nonetheless. I want you to appreciate the moments while their happening, not near the end when you're forced to focus on the future. High school sucks sometimes, (believe me, I won't easily forget my first all-nighter thanks to English honors) but please love the temporary family you have.
Sometimes your generation scares me. It's all the technology thats been shoved in front of your face. You're too busy "fixing things on computer screens" and so worried about capturing the moment that you miss experiencing it. Sometimes, I'm guilty of that too.
But running slows it all down if you take just a moment to let it.
Notice how much time and energy everyone gives to the sport, and how happy they are to do it. Notice how everyone just wanders around at practice. Some are in a hurry, some are not, some make a beeline to their destination, and some do not. Notice that at any meet, people will bring homework, but most people won't be giving it 100% of their attention because it's just too hard to focus when you have pre-race nerves. Notice how people will call personal rivals by their school's name. Notice the blankets. Notice that even in the blistering cold that so many people complain about, there will always be happy runners. Notice the weird rituals and habits runners have. Notice the officials that are dedicating their day to help make sure you get a chance to improve your time. Notice the first hint of spring while you're running on a trail. Notice that everyone is so eager for it to get warm, that they'll still wear long sleeves but they'll pair it with shorts because for some reason, your legs can handle the coolness better than your arms. Notice all the trees that are still dead, but notice there is something that makes them seem more alive just knowing they are about to be. Notice that even though there is stress over running a home meet, there's also an ease and calmness about it. Notice the new shoes. Notice how a warm light rain will wake people up. Notice how the smiles are always genuine, but even more so when summer starts to approach. Notice how the seniors will start to be nostalgic.
We were all friends because we were all going through this sport that took over our lives in the best way possible. We spent both Proms at track meets, but so did all our closest friends. We coined terms that defined our whole season. We listened to a then unknown artist named Taylor Swift. We raided the old track clothes closet and found clothes from 1997. We gossiped about running drama. We napped before practice. We ate junk food. We laughed.
Your running experience will seem so distant when you hit my age, and I'm not even old. Meets were sometimes the best part about track because they were rare compared to every other distance run, workout, or stretch. Don't let nerves or too much focus on what you need to do during the race get in the way of enjoying the fact that you're there, because that's more than some people get.
And finally, always always always try to see the fun/weirdness/uniqueness in everything, treasure the little moments with whoever you're around, and be open to listening to what people have to say. Sometimes the best life advice you receive comes from a stranger on a straightaway.
