My March race and high school and small college races

 I didn't post about my March race. It was a 5k in Vancouver, WA on March 20. It was my birthday race and I ran it with my daughter Jasmine and her husband Jared. "Ran with" is a loose interpretation as they finished several minutes ahead of me.

The course was excellent, going along Vancouver's river front them veering off to run through the grounds of historic Fort Vancouver. Was pleased with my run, even finished first in my age group.

Since then it's been a busy time. Still training and my April race is just days away. But what has kept me busy has been officiating area track meets. I've been busy officiating the high jump at Willamette U's track meets and being the start for several area high school meets. Also attending USATF officiating clinics on other weekends. It has been fun to be a part of the events and watching kids compete as I once did at the high school and collegiate level. 

Tonight I was the starter at a local high school meet and witnessed one of the best finishes to a race you could imagine. The 4x400 relay, the last event of the night. Kennedy HS's final leg runner takes the baton 30 meters behind the leader. Down the back stretch she narrows the gap. Coming out of the final turn she is on the shoulder of the leader. The home stretch is a battle, will she have anything left? In the last 10 meters she passes the leader and wins my a torso. As exciting as an Olympic finish and just as gutsy.

When I share my college track experience with folks, I tell them I was a mediocre small college distance runner, which I was. But I am proud of being a collegiate athlete, even a lettered collegiate athlete. I know the work it takes to being a true student-athlete. We aren't the ones eyeing huge professional contracts. We attend classes and study because we know the degree we are working towards is our future, but we also head to the track in the afternoon for workouts that exhaust us and get us to the dinning room just before they close it down. (This was back in the old days.) 

We/They participate because they love the competition between rival schools and to challenge themselves. Some get a bit of scholarship money, but I'm sure not at the level as the football/basketball players. These are the ones who truly participate for the joy, challenge, love of the sport.

Want to see sport at its finest? Go to a high school or small college meet. You won't see world records, you will see the heart and spirit of competing.