I just got back from competing in the very prestigious Dream Mile and below I will describe what kind of things I was able to do at this event and the athletes I met! It didn’t go at all the way I had hoped race-wise but beside that it was a great experience. I learned a lot, and with any luck I hope to be invited back to do much better and hopefully fix the mistakes that I may have made leading up to this race.
Thursday:
On Thursday Coach G, picked me up at my house around 9:30 to head to the Pittsburgh airport to fly to New York. Not only did Adidas pay for all my transportation to and from this event, they allowed each athlete to bring one guest and I chose my coach. My parents were planning on driving out on the day of the race, Saturday, and they would meet me there. So we get to the airport around 11:30, a little later then we wanted but it wasn’t a problem because we got through security and baggage check without a problem. Coach G isn’t a huge fan of flying so when we got to the gate to get on the plane and we were told it would be a few more minutes because of maintenance problems. You can imagine he was a bit uneasy, but before we knew it we were on the plane and ready for take-off. We got to New York around 2-2:30 and we got our bags and went to call for our car. I will say again and again how great of a job Adidas did with this meet and much was provided for us. Coach G called the car service and a shiny black car came to the airport entrance and picked us up, which would sound perfect if it hadn’t been 100 degrees when we landed. The tarmac where we got off was literally 100.
We arrived at the hotel (The Grand Hyatt at Grand Central Station!) to find that we were one of the first ones in that day. I met with Coach Victoria (the Adidas person who was mainly assigned to the girls dream mile), received 2 $200 AMEX cards for me and my coach to use for meals, a pair of flats, a pair of spikes, and a bag of clothes for me and also a white polo and shoes for my coach!! They really spared no expense and I know I speak for the other athletes and guests when I say, Thank You for everything! I knew ahead of time that I would be rooming with Haley Pierce (Tatnall, DE) which I was really excited about but she didn’t come in until a little later on Friday.
We were free to do whatever we wanted for the rest of Thursday, which was another different but nice thing about this meet. The high school athletes were treated the same as the professionals, so there was very little structure and very few meeting times. Other than one trip to the track on Friday, the race and a banquet there were not many other time commitments. My coach and I just relaxed for the rest of that night because he was also rooming with the Tatnall coach, Coach Costagna. And as we were just relaxing and taking in the hotel Coach G spots Mo Greene in the lobby!!! He starts going nuts and insists I ask for picture (shown below). We ate some quick lasagna ïŠ then went back to our rooms and it was time for bed.
Friday
On Friday morning we had a quick meeting where we met the other competitors, coordinated the events that would fill the rest of the weekend and were fortunate enough to meet Jim Ryun!!! He spoke a little to all of us and so did Carrie Tollefson who we also met at Foot Locker. She is a super friendly person and obviously an amazing runner as well! Following that meeting, interviews and receiving our uniforms we were free to do whatever we wanted to. By this time Haley had arrived and it was time for lunch. After lunch we relaxed back at our hotel room until they were busing us to the track. Around 4 we were loaded onto 2 or 3 coach buses and all the amateur athletes, their plus-one and the professional athletes were taken to the track. It took a little longer than planned because we hit some pretty bad traffic but we finally made it. This was the first time I had ever seen the track and the last time before the race. I got there and everyone started doing their own thing. It was really cool to see all the pros getting ready. I jogged a few laps with Lindsay Crevoiserat and then did a few quicker laps by myself and striders. After that we were at the track for about an hour and a half longer.
Following our practice, we all returned to the hotel and got ready for dinner. Then Coach G and I went on a hunt for some more lasagna! We returned to the hotel and it was pretty much time for bed. At this point I could start to feel the nerves coming on and the pressure was rising.
Saturday
Around 10 a.m. I did a shake-out run with Lindsay again for about 10 minutes. Then we ate breakfast and I went back to my room to get ready to leave for the race!! This short break flew and I biked for another 10 minutes then it was just about time to go.
So all the girl Dream Milers were sent to the bus and shipped off to the track. As we were on the bus ride I realized for the second time in my short running career, I had left my inhaler at the hotel right before a major race! In somewhat of a panic, I called my parents who were currently en route to the track, only to find they didn’t have an extra with them, and neither did I.
I was afraid to tell Coach G on the bus so I texted my best friend for some reassuring words and relief. She calmed me down like she always can and I focused back on the race and what I had to do. I knew it wasn’t too hot outside so I believed it would be ok. We got to the track warm up area right as the boys Dream Mile was finishing. Knowing that some of the athletes were already done was nice because they could give some tips and pointers but it also meant that the moment we’ve all been worrying about is almost here.
It was a welcomed distraction as we were jogging around the field to try to spot the professional athletes we’ve all watched run on television doing the exact same thing we were. I even spotted Allyson Felix who is one of my favorite professional athletes warming up! Right before we were led onto the track, I got a call from my coach. Of course I’m as nervous as can be and he’s doing his best to calm me down but I think it did help, I really missed having him there, as well as my other coaches, Coach Rodkey and Coach Mookie. My coaches seem to be able to handle my sass best in 3’s ïŠ.
Then we were sent to the line and the race was about to start, but right before our race it seemed even the pros’ jitters were getting to them. There were at least 3 false starts back-to-back-to-back right before our race. We couldn’t believe it! Warming up before the race and the day before I could tell I wasn’t feeling right. I didn’t feel the rhythm I usually do and I wasn’t feeling as smooth as I usually do. This wasn’t surprising considering for the past 7 weeks I had been logging just about 3 miles of running a week! This was with a combination on swimming and biking but very, very few actual miles, thanks to shin splints that raised a red flag about mid-season. If I kept up my miles and didn’t take any cautionary measures it could lead to a stress fracture. I could also tell my lungs didn’t feel as accustomed to running or as strong as they usually feel.
After all that not exactly going my way, I gave this race everything I had. My legs were just not flushing the lactic acid like I would have wanted and my lungs weren’t as strong as I would have wanted. That was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, and the worst outcome for feeling like I put so much into it. That was the first time I’ve gotten last in a race and l hope the last. I know at this level and at all these events the girl or boy who gets last is one of the best in the country and it’s not the same as getting last at a lower level of competition but it’s just as hard.
All I could think of was all the people I felt like I let down and all the people who were watching at home, and how embarrassed I was. Coach G brought me back down to Earth and made me realize this is life and that’s what happens. I gave it my best and we really didn’t know what to expect going into this, and this was the result. He wouldn’t let me forget I was still one of the top milers in the country. It was an honor just to be invited, even though we both knew we had wanted to walk away with more.
I am glad I was able to have this experience and I know how fortunate I am just to have had the opportunity. I just wish I could have done a little more with it. After the race and all the buses had departed from Icahn Stadium, we had about an hour to get cleaned up for the banquet. The banquet was at a very nice restaurant called Fabio Piccolo Fiore.
Then all the champions were presented with their trophies and we ate our final dinner together. It was bittersweet because there were seniors who had now officially completed their high school careers and were moving onto better things and some happy, some sad. It was bittersweet for me because although I had a great time, I am about to officially start my senior year and now that it’s here that’s pretty scary. I was glad to have this honor but I was also ready to put the disappointments of the race behind me, get healthy, and begin training for a new season and another chance.
When all that was done, some of the other high school athletes including myself took to Times Square to see the sights one last time. A few of us left the group early and headed back to the hotel and that was it, it was finally our last night and we would all go our separate ways in the morning.
I can’t say how thankful I am to have had such an extraordinary experience and to be as fortunate as I am is a real blessing. I congratulate all the girls and boys who competed in the Dream Mile and Dream 100 on a fantastic job and obviously a successful season.
I hope I will be seeing many of you in the future as we move on to even bigger and better things. I also cannot say how thankful I am to have the support that I do have, between my friends, family, and coaches who I consider both.
I will be beginning my college search as I write this. I have already made unofficial visits to Princeton, Georgetown, and Villanova. I also plan to visit Tennessee. I hope to have much success in my senior year ahead. Thank you to everyone who made this meet so wonderful and God bless!
