Dear Track and Field.

Dear Track and Field,

We’ve known each other for a while now, and a lot has changed since I first met you. I used to be the slowest one on the middle school team. I started off in 7th grade running the 100 meter dash and high jumping and triple jumping. Then in 8th grade I tried to join distance but was told by coaches I should stick to running nothing longer than the 800 because I was too slow. But you kept me coming back because time and time again you knew how much I loved the pure act of running. 

Then high school came and I loved cross country so figured I’d better sick with you just so I could stay in shape for cross country. But it turns out I really liked you freshman year! I was able to run like I had never been able to before! I was running at varsity meets and getting new PR’s what felt like every week! You could say we were best of friends that spring. But things soon changed… after that year, cross country kept getting better yet you kept getting worse. Sophomore and junior year came and went and I started to get angry with you because my times weren’t getting any better. I remember my friend and I calling you “pre cross country” because we really didn’t see your importance and only wanted to run on trails instead of ovals. Looking back I can see I gave up on you and didn’t put in the work I should have. I was unfair to blame it all on you when really I was the one with the bad attitude. 

Then senior year came, and cross country didn’t go well so I wanted to leave my high school running career on a good note. I thought this was my last chance to race with you and I wanted to give you everything I had left. Looking back at that season it was one of my worst, but I learned a lot about myself. The race that sticks out to me the most is the Pre Prom Invitational when I convinced my coach to let me run the mile and two mile double for the first time. The mile was first and I ran a 6:07. I was disappointed because I had been wanting to break 6 all season, but I was remaining hopeful because I knew I still had the 2 mile coming up. I was about ready to do my cool down when my coach came over and said they were running ahead of schedule so I should just make the cool down my warm up. I started getting really nervous because there wasn’t much time and I was still really tired from just running the mile. I remember crying while doing my strides before the race and my coach coming over and giving me a big hug and saying, “Just remember to relax, and pretend like you are running in the woods, just out for a run in your favorite place.” I think at this point he knew I was debating dropping out, but he also know how badly I wanted to run the double. I calmed down enough and ran the race, the whole thing. My time was terrible, 14 something, but I ran the whole thing and my coach was so proud of me for not giving up just because I didn’t think I could do it. My coach and I still keep in touch regularly and meet up for a cup of coffee whenever I’m home. His support and mentorship means the world to me and I have you to thank for bringing us together. 

I have never been a stand out runner, so running in college really didn’t cross my mind until I got the recruiting letter from a small D3 school. To be honest, I mainly wanted to run in college just so I wouldn’t have to face the dreaded goodbye to the sport I loved so dearly. Also, and you might not like this, but when I found out you have to run both track and cross country if you run cross country, I almost didn’t want to run because I really didn’t want to hang out with you and run track in college. But here we are, I guess you could say my love for cross country has really brought us closer together and thanks to my success freshman year I’ve actually learned to really love and appreciate you more and more. Freshman year of college we had a blast! I was running the best times I had ever run and things between us were great. But sophomore year was a different story… I ended the cross country season with lifetime PRs and even a conference medal, yet I was still dreading you because school was getting really tough. I had finally declared a major and I was realizing just how hard and different college classes were compared to high school. My grades really struggled that fall and I was scared to death of spending all track season together because I know how time consuming you can be. That sophomore track season was definitely not my best, and I blamed you for it once again, when really it was my attitude and work ethic that were out of check. 

As I am writing this letter I’m able to reflect back on all the time we have shared, all the memories we have created, and all the mutual friends I have thanks to you. I am also able to look back at myself and see how you have changed me over the years. I started off just because we had a lot of mutual friends and our time together was purely social, but as our friendship has grown I now realize all the opportunities you have provided me and I am now aware you have provided me more than I could have ever imagined. Thank you! You have given me a deepend passion and appreciation for running, a competitive side I didn't even know I had, a group of teammates who have and will always be like a family to me, coaches who have seen me and supported me through my best and my worst, and most importantly, an identity. When I run I feel like I can be myself and for that I am eternally grateful. Track and Field, thank you for 8 years together, it sure has been a rollercoaster, but I’m really enjoying the ride and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

All the best, 

Alyssa