States

So with states coming up, I don't want to do anything too fancy today, I've already made my predictions and such for the meet and layed out my thoughts on that which I know best (the distance races). So today I just wanted to say good luck to everyone competing and enjoy and sieze the moment.

It really is a special time. I can still remember my first time going to states as an alternate indoors for the DMR my sophomore year. The first distance race I saw was Max Kaulbach stunning the field by outkicking Crits and McNally over the final 100m. It was such an exciting finish that I called my friend back home at like 10 o'clock in the morning just to tell him about the race. He didn't really care, but I was too excited to notice at the time. Then we watched my teammate run the 800. We ran in after the 60s were done to get front row seats, it was crazy.

And then of course the only state meet I ever ran in came my Senior year indoors. It was definitely one of my favorite experiences in high school track. Penn State's track is fast and a lot of fun to watch races on. That year Mallon outkicked Kehl and Lefeubre surprised in the 800m. I missed Endress nearly take Kellar at the line because I was warming up, but that race was sick too. My teammates came out in the 4x8 with no big expectations and performed very well with 4 PRs. They really took advantage of the opportunity to run on the big stage. After a long meet where I was lucky enough to meet and talk to so many stars of the sport and to get my picture taken with Sam Bernitt and Wade Endress is was finally time to race.

I have never been more nervous than I was waiting in that back area behind the track. I was pacing and trying to stay loose while I watched the other 4x4s step onto the track. We had been placed in the fast heat after O'Hara dropped down a heat and it was very nerve racking. I had never ever been close to being on a stage this big. Being in the fast heat, if we hung tough then we would get a state medal. Stepping out onto the track before the start of the race was unreal, seeing the crowd and hearing the noise, knowing your teammates were just a few feet away. We were the last race of the meet, the very last heat to step on the track.

Unfortunately things didn't work out that race. Our lead off leg got out the best he had all season and was on pace to drop a massive PR. He was up front with the top teams in the race and as I stood there in the second lane waiting for him to round the turn and head for home I was so excited for what we could achieve. But those thoughts ended up just being dreams as the fast opening 200 caught up to our lead off leg and his legs gave out and he fell, just out of my reach from being in the exchange zone. I stood frozen watching him scramble back up, seeing the pain in his face. He still ran a 55 somehow.

It was a heartbreaking two laps knowing that we were out of the race and that we wouldn't finish as high as we thought, but it was a trip I will never forget. It sucks what happened, but it was only because we went for it. We gave it everything we had and we came up short. And honestly that is what counts.

Don't leave this state meet thinking what if. Leave everything you had on the track, and if you fall short, at least you know you gave it everything you had.

Because who knows, you may not get another chance.