Blog #3: Satisfaction in March

By Brenna Cohoon

In the midst of a hectic week at school, racing on a Thursday night could have been seen as just one more thing to stress about.  I refused to think of it that way, though. 

Instead, I viewed the week’s obstacles as hurdles to jump over, trusting that I would always land on my feet.  I was determined to finish that metaphorical race.

I was unbelievably excited to race in my first 3200 Meter Run of the season, but I felt oddly calm about it.  I didn’t get butterflies in my stomach until stepping foot into the fieldhouse at North Central College, where I was greeted with the smell of Icy Hot and the image of everyone warming up.

The race itself was something I was looking forward to before the season even began.  Ever since my sophomore year, I have opened up with the 3200 Meter Run at the NCC Cardinal Classic.  It’s a meet that I love for it’s electric energy and phenomenal competition.

I warmed up with my teammate Sophia McNerney and checked in long before the race was set to begin.  I must not have been paying well enough attention, though, because the two of us almost missed the start of our race!  We heard someone call for the remaining participants in the 2 mile to line up.  The moment that realization set in was an adrenaline rush I received before the gun even went off.

Once the race did begin, though, I peeled off of the starting line with over 20 other girls, just trying to get in a good position but not wishing to take the lead.  Where did I end up?  In the lead.

We ran a very controlled first lap, which prompted some of my competitors to step up and take the reigns.  Things remained reserved for the next few laps, resulting in fairly slow 800 meter and 1600 meter splits.

About halfway through, I decided to take a risk and lead the race again.  I didn’t want to play it safe; instead, I chose to challenge myself and my competitors.  After all, my main goal was to have a season opener that I was proud of.

I ultimately finished in 3rd place in 11:04, achieving the exact same results as this meet last year.  I could have been frustrated by this, but instead, I was pleased to see that I am in a good spot heading into the remainder of the season.  I have a solid foundation but still have plenty of room to improve as I continue to trust in my training.

Monday night was another evening spent at North Central College... at one of my favorite meets of the season: Mustang Relays!  It’s an honor to be a member of the host team at such a fun and prestigious meet.  People always run fast times and the energy is something incredibly unique for a track meet.  Everyone running in the meet is part of a relay, part of the bigger picture.  The emphasis of the whole night is placed upon achieving excellence as a team.

Mustang Relays features 35 girls teams and 35 boys teams, making for an incredibly crowded fieldhouse that was filled with action left and right.  While warming up for the third section of the 4x800 Meter Relay, my relay team and I cheered for our teammates in the first two heats, trying to be heard above the rest of the crowd.  We saw our first relay team run an impressive race full of personal bests and our second relay team cruise to victory.

Then, it was time for our relay to take the line.  As the second leg, I had less than two and a half minutes to collect my thoughts and get out there, myself.  I told myself, “I’ve got this.  It’s only four laps!  Take it easy at first, then give it all you’ve got.”

My teammate Becca Diddia got our team in a secure position, handing off to me in a spot where many of our competitors were within reach.  Obeying my general race plan for the entire season, I went out strong but under control for the first two laps while still competing with those around me.  I put in surges when I sensed it was the right time and simply held on for the rest of it.  The last two laps, I was focused upon getting up on my toes and just kicking it in hard.

I handed off to Sophia McNerney right around 3rd or 4th place.  After Sophia ran an excellent personal record race with a killer finish, she handed off to our anchor Erin Reidy in second-place.  All we could do was cheer from the sidelines as we watched our third consecutive victory at Mustang Relays unfold.

It was an exciting moment, to say the least, but it didn’t quite settle in until well after the race’s conclusion.  Personally, I was super pumped.  I ran a small PR, symbolizing yet again that I’m exactly where I need to be at this point in the season.  That’s not to mention that I felt so humbled to be a part of such a fun and driven 4x800 Meter Relay team for the past four years.

I took in my gratitude for this meet and my team as I prepared for the third heat of the 4x400 Meter Relay.  Although it did not have quite as much anticipation as my previous relay, it served as another great opportunity for me to work on my speed.  I ended up running my season best, which put an even bigger smile upon my face.

The last two meets served as huge confidence boosters as our team heads into a very busy weekend.  I feel prepared and excited beyond belief to tackle the 3200 Meter Run at Batavia Distance Madness this Friday, as well as the 1600 Meter Run at the Proviso East Invite on Saturday.  I cannot wait to see what the remaining few weeks of indoor season have in store for our entire team.

Photo Credit: Laura Duffy