Hey, this weekend was just too great I swear. I finished off my highschool track season down state at Charlestonl Illinois, and competed in four events (100 hurdles, 400, 300 hurdles, and 200). I don't even know where to start..Last year I did all four events, and broke five records over the course of two days. I took home a third place state trophy all by myself.
There are a lot of people that do four events, but not too many do the 400 and then turn around ten minutes later to run the 300 hurdles. It's what makes me so crazy, and I don't understand how I do it, but I do.
Going into the prelims I had some of the worst times. Sectionals were cold and windy, and of course, I work best when the weather is closest to perfect. State was the closest to perfect I had gotten in Illinois. I wasn't too sure if I even wanted to run four events in the prelims, but I found myself walking over to the check in after my 400. Was I really about to do this? Yes. I. Did. I made it to the finals of all my events with top times, still not sure if I would have the energy to do it. I really wanted a 23 in my 200, and the 300 would ruin any chance of me hitting that goal.The day of finals I was just dead tired and unsure about anything. My coach at Texas A&M suggested that I focus on one event at a time. Something I had heard before. So I tried it, I don't think I was too good at it, but I tried, I swear I did.
The 100 hurdles were the first event of the day, and I broke a record! I screamed and everybody in the stands screamed, and it was just great. I'd never reacted like that to winning a race. I had been wanting to to break 14 and I'd finally done it. 13.87, season PR, and new state record. In the 400, I got out. It was just a regular race. Not the time I expected, but I won, and wasted no time running to shade to hang my legs and prepare for the 300 hurdles. 54.35 I think? The 300 hurdles is my race right? I swear I was so tired. I had no energy to do my block routine. The officials and people in the check in rent thought I was crazy for coming back, but they were so nice and helpful that it made no sense at all. Everybody was rooting for me. I got out, and at the 200 I had to start my chase. Markita rush had gotten out on me, and I had to catch her, but I didn't want to get all sloppy with my race. We crossed the finish in record breaking time. Me in second. I wasn't too disappointed. I ran my race and got a PR. 42.29,
Next was the 200. The two-hundred.. The race I'd been wanting to better since the beginning of time. Much like the 300 I felt tired, even though I had had almost an hour break in between. It was the last race of the day. It's almost like I collapsed into the blocks. The gun goes off and I'm digging and digging and digging. I come off the the curve behind Charday Crawford, and the chase begins. I swear the chase is the best part. My confidence starts picking up, and so do my legs. Like, OMG I can hear people in the stands banging metal, banging the gates, banging the team Shamier little signs and screaming. That was all I needed. And I went for it. That was probably my most memorable and favorite race at state. Something about all that noise is all I needed to go after it. Crosses the finish line in first. NEW PR AND STATE RECORD. 24.04. Not the 23 I wanted, but close enough, and good enough considering the long day I had. I had made my Coach happy. Everything was almost perfect.
Four events, three records broken, two records set, two personal records, and I was one place (two points) off of getting a second place trophy. Ahhhhhhhhh, but I can't even trip.
The support down there was crazy. Still not something I'm used to, but it was great. Everybody loved Sham, and I loved them back. I still can't believe that was my last highschool race. In a few months, I'm going to be off to run with the big dogs in the SEC and represent Texas A&M. I can't wait. I don't know if you guys would be able to follow me along another four year journey, but this is definitely not the last you've heard from me.
