Blog #11 – State: No Regrets

By Brenna Cohoon

Thursday, May 16 was the beginning of an incredible weekend-long journey with my coaches and teammates.  Before the school “send-off” from supportive students and staff members for our trip down to Charleston, we spent some time decorating the windows of the mini-buses and exchanging “sister gifts” with each other.  All twelve state qualifiers and alternates piled onto one bus, while our luggage (which was way too much for two nights) occupied the other.

After stopping for a quick lunch at Panera, we arrived at our final destination of Eastern Illinois University and checked into our dorms in Taylor Hall.  Melissa Weidner and I went on a run together while the rest of our teammates prepared for prelims by completing their typical pre-meet routine.  Melissa and I took the miles very easy to ensure that we would feel well-rested and recovered for our race on Saturday. 

We also made sure to stay hydrated so the transition from the cool temperatures of the Chicago suburbs to the southern Illinois heat was as smooth as possible.  Just like any other year, we knew that the State Meet was going to be a hot one.

That evening, after freshening up in clean running clothes (nothing too fancy), we headed over to a team dinner at Pagliai’s, a restaurant just a few blocks away from EIU’s track that serves pasta and pizza. It’s the perfect combination of carbohydrates for runners! 

Following dinner, we made our annual trip to Walmart and then a store that sells our favorite State gear.  When everyone was satisfied with their purchases, we returned to the dorms for a team meeting that highlighted our time schedule for the weekend.  I closed out the evening by playing a card game with some of my teammates before hitting the hay.

I like to think of State as a weekend where each day gets progressively more and more fun.  Although I enjoyed traveling with my teammates and getting settled in the dorms on Thursday, Friday was when everything really began.  Melissa and I woke up and completed a brief pre-meet run before eating breakfast.  3A did not begin competing until later in the day, so we were left with plenty of time in the morning before heading over to spend the afternoon at the big blue track.

Since our race (3200 Meter Run) wasn’t until Saturday, Melissa and I could relax the entire day and focus on cheering for our teammates during prelims.  We watched Ari Johnson compete in both long and triple jump, saw our 4x800 Meter Relay of Becky Versaskas, Becca Diddia, Olivia Duax, and Erin Reidy run a smart, strategic race to win their heat, cheered on Erin Reidy in the 800 Meter Run, and rooted for Kennedy Warden in the 1600 Meter Run.

The performances of my teammates on Friday afternoon filled me with pride, and I truly think their success set the tone for the rest of the weekend.  I left prelims feeling inspired for my own race the following day.

We enjoyed dinner that evening, filling up on carbs once more.  As much fun as we had spending time together, I could tell that we were all feeling a little nervous for finals.  We returned to the dorms after dinner, used the NormaTec to prepare our legs for racing, and settled into our beds for a good night’s sleep.  Melissa and I admired the full moon outside of our window before dozing off with thoughts of our morning shakeout run. 

Over the past couple of years, I have really grown to love doing shakeout runs the morning of a big race.  The first time I did one freshman year, I was a little skeptical and worried that I would waste all of my energy before I made it to the starting line.  It didn’t take long to see that these short runs did wonders for my mind more than anything.  I use these runs as moments to decompress before my races, therapeutic time with my teammates.  They give me confidence knowing that my body is ready to perform.

I was happy that my legs felt fresh, primed to compete later in the day.  Apparently, that didn’t do much to calm my nerves, as I struggled while trying to eat my breakfast.  I ate everything that I needed to for energy in my race, but I had to fight the butterflies stirring up a storm in my stomach.

I felt much more relaxed when I returned to my dorm room and waited with Melissa until we had to head over to the track for our warmup.  The two of us kept each other company throughout the whole weekend, but especially in those couple of hours when we eagerly awaited the time to get moving. 

We witnessed our 4x800 Meter Relay place 6th among the best in the state.  They responded well to the heat and strong wind blowing head-on in the final straightaway.  Shortly after the conclusion of their race, Melissa and I warmed up in the fieldhouse to stay out of the sun, then headed over to get checked in at the tent.

We exchanged some final words with our coaches, Coach Plunkett and Coach Arenberg.  Melissa and I then joined the other two-milers in the tent, all of us silently preparing for approximately eleven minutes of fighting. 

Finally running up to that line, I felt oddly free.  Sure, I was still nervous, but the excitement about what remained ahead was so much more thrilling.  Maybe I didn’t feel as much pressure to perform a certain way because I wasn’t seeded as highly as the year before and didn’t think people expected much from me.  Whether that is true or not, I knew for a fact that I felt prepared in the fleeting moments before the gun went off.  What made it even better was that I got to toe the line with one of my teammates and best friends.

The race began with a bang, and those first couple of laps were a blur.  I focused on getting into a good position, but I didn’t want to expend too much energy by letting my adrenaline take over.  I settled into my pace and tried not to get thrown off by the pack in front of me that seemed to be constantly shifting and switching positions.

We went through the first mile a couple of seconds slower than I expected, but I didn’t care.  My primary focus of the race was competing well, not how fast my time would be, especially given the difficult conditions.

I could feel my focus slipping a bit during those middle laps.  I sat around 9th or 10th place for a while and felt very tempted to settle for that.  The negative thoughts in my mind told me to give up.  I thought back to something very simple our team photographer, Ms. Duffy, had said to me before: “No regrets!”

I chose to respond to the negativity in my head by kicking for the last 800 meters of my race.  I didn’t want to settle.  I didn’t want to regret anything.  The pain I was experiencing would go away shortly after crossing the finish line, but the disappointment of not giving this race my best would take a while to shake off. 

I was in 8th place and kept my eyes up, trying to pass as many people as possible.  I wasn’t sure how long I could hold onto this kick, but the least I could do was try to sustain it.

I finished, immediately grateful that I believed in myself and pushed away those pessimistic thoughts in my race.  I wasn’t completely certain of what place I finished in, but I thought it was 4th.  After realizing that, the endorphins really kicked in, and I just burst into tears. 

“I did it,” was the thought that kept going through my mind. Over and over again. It was so delightful.

I accomplished my goal after a season full of setbacks.  My goal before the season even began was to finish in the top five, but there came a time where I wasn’t even certain I would be able to compete in the state meet.  I felt so grateful for all of my blessings in that moment.

I made sure to cherish the moments after that with the other medalists in my race, as well as with my family, coaches, and teammates.  A short while later, I saw Erin Reidy place 3rd in the 800 Meter Run, capping off the Mustangs’ performances for the weekend.

It was a bittersweet bus ride home to Downers Grove.  The last hour was spent crying about the amazing seniors we were going to lose now that the regular season had come to an end. 

Imagining the day in just a couple of months where I will have to say goodbye to some of my closest friends is painful.  However, I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the weekend with anybody else.  I am eternally grateful for the positive impact these wonderful young women have had on me over not just three days, but three whole years!