What was your most memorable race/competition?
My most memorable race of the season was the 3200m at Taco Bell Classic. My coach and I wanted me in the Saturday heat so he seated me for 9:40, which was 12 seconds faster than I ever ran. The plan backfired when I still had to show up Friday night for my event. The turn of events was actually a blessing in disguise because I had one hell of a race. Twenty kids all at sub-5 minute pace for the first lap and I was out in lane three. I got frustrated and just decided to take the lead and run people into the ground. I lead through my first mile at 4:40 and hit the wall hard. Going into that race, my fastest 1600 was 4:38 so this pace felt impossible. I remember my actual thoughts from laps 5 and 6 were "I'm about to collapse." I ended up getting passed by too many people to count. With 800 to go, I pulled myself together and put in whatever was left, which wasn't much. I crossed the finish in 9:48, 12th in my heat. My coach thought I was an idiot for running the race the way I did, but it is still my personal best in 3200 so I can't complain.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
Foot Locker South for sure. I raced in the Senior division. At the mile I was in a pack of about 40 people all led by my best friend and teammate Sango Asante. Circling the lake at the end I was STILL in a pack of 40. I was so overwhelmed because I've never had to race 40 other people capable of 16:30 at the same time!
Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
Going to state in track this year, twice. Our 4x800 team got 5th and ran an all-state time. And I qualified individually for the 3200m and ran an all-state time in that too. I felt so out of my league because I was running against people that dusted me in XC... Needless to say they all dusted me. Going to state was all I wanted since December so I was so blessed for my desire to become a reality. And Ross Jordan, Sango Asante, Evan Abdullah, and I running the second-fastest 4x1600m in state history, that was a close second.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your athletic career in high school?
I would go back to my junior year and train smarter. It was my most disappointing year in running so far because I made no progress which was a result of foolish training.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
I had to overcome some knee injuries my junior year but most of my obstacles were mental. I always had to remind myself to never think of anyone as better than me, so that I could run my race and not count myself out against those that had better PR's. I made that mistake in the 3200 this year at state.
What will you miss the most?
My team and my coaches. I won't ever be able to replicate the good times I had with them.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
Mileage is power and milk is the magical cure to everything sore.
How have your coaches influenced your performances and your life goals overall?
I'm a harder worker and no matter what I do from now on, I'll always want the win.
What are your college plans?
Francis Marion University to run XC and track. I'm going in to engineering; we'll see how that goes.
Shout-Outs?
Coach Dave, Coach Sutherland, my team, and my Shrine Bowl friends.
