1. It goes by really fast. Everyone looks at the seniors graduating at the end of the year and says “I can’t wait to be done.” But then you’re done and you say the opposite. I wish I had 1 more high school race, 1 more practice, 1 more heart to heart with my coach. Be grateful for every day that you have wearing your home town singlet.
2. It’s not the biggest races that create the best memories. It’s the dual meets where you run around cheering like a maniac, it’s the pasta parties that turn in to dance parties, the teammates that turn in to family, and the practices that are so full of laughs nothing productive actually gets done. Yes, big meets can be great. But they’re not end all be all. The little moments are what will stick out the most after a couple years.
3. You have no idea how much support you have. Your coaches, your teammates, your friends and family all just want to see you succeed. These people would do anything to make sure you have every accessible tool to reach your dreams. And not every experience is perfect: not everyone has a coach they love or has parents that support their child’s aspirations. But you can always find people that love you unconditionally.
4. Do yourself the biggest favor of all and everyday, when practice starts, take a break from the rest of the world. Don’t worry about tests or drama or college or anything. Allow yourself two hours a day dedicated to be the best athlete you can be. It’ll make you a better person and a more focused competitor which in turn will make you a better athlete. Take each rep, long run minute, and race one at a time. Stay focused on the task at hand.
5. Everyone has bad days. The best runners in your state do along with the best runners in the world. They’re normal, so don’t get bent out of shape over one off day. Take a deep breath, work it out, and make a promise to yourself that the next day will be better. And the day after that- even better. Runners are often extremely hard on ourselves and we forget that we don’t have to be perfect.
And my last note to all runners that still have high school races to run: please just continue on doing the sport we love. Keep raising the bar: running faster, jumping longer, and throwing farther. We want nothing else but to see the next generation succeed. We are all a family, and we want the best for you.