Welcome to the next season recap!! My first experience running on a track as a bee... pretty darn cool. This indoor season has been more than I expected and so cool. I continually watch God work in my life and it can be so intimidating but so exciting! Indoor track is always a fairly short and minimal season, there's usually very few meets given how not every school participates and there aren't many indoor tracks around, especially in the south. This season I raced three 3k races and two 5k races, and I'm about to round out the season with one last 5k at the National Championship!
This season had more growth than I expected, specifically because of the jumps I was able to make in my 5k performance. I went into the season with an 18:28 5k PR from the cross country season and in my first indoor track 5k at the end of January I ran 18:07, shocking myself and immediately getting the NAIA national qualifying B standard. This was so incredibly exciting, but it also left me reeling as this was a huge jump and put me in a bit of a different ball game of competition. In the weeks then since I've had the blessing and challenge of coming to terms with being individually nationally ranked and how to believe in myself in a different way. I think there's an interesting reclamation of self when you achieve a big goal and surprise yourself. That time goal was very far out in my mind, so the idea of achieving it and proving myself capable is complex and beautiful. It can also be very simple but of course I overcomplicate running my head. I'm physically capable of that time and competitive position, but now I need to believe that I'm worthy of it. This is a challenge that all runners face when they get to a very competitive level, and it's truly a blessing to be able to adjust to a position like this.
We had three meets before conference, and at conference I was able to contribute a good bit to my team by winning the 5k individually and placing 3rd in the 3k!! And to my surprise I set a conference indoor 5k record time in my race by about 35 seconds. God is so good!! It's been so cool to relocate my running to SCAD and in the process achieve these goals and use these opportunities with my team. I'm so thankful, while trying to still look to the future and not settle for the past.
My season will conclude this week as one of my teammates and I fly out to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for NAIA Nationals!! We both race the 5k prelim at 2pm CT on this Thursday. I'm ranked #30 in the 5k nationally and 6th freshman in the championship field. This opportunity to race on this big stage is very intimidating to me but I'm embracing the opportunity and trying to use it to the best of my ability!! This opportunity is an answer to a prayer I didn't even know existed, so I will thank God and run hard! Feel free to check out the photos below from throughout our season and mostly conference. Go bees!!! 🐝⚡️
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