As an athlete who has played a multitude of sports, for me, track is a unique and challenging one. Track is a mental sport; you must have the mental toughness to participate and if you don't, then don't waste your time. You have to train your mind and body to accept a level of physical strife not meant for everyone. You have a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds, to deliver. There is no next play or funky statistic to help decipher who played better. It's very cut and dry- who can run the fastest on that given day. A #1 seed can come into nationals and clip a hurdle, creating an upset that no one saw coming. This mental game is what track athletes must master and then re-master every time they get behind the line.
The first piece of advice that I would give future recruits is you have to fuel your body differently at the college level. Drinking water and limiting desserts isn't enough. Not having parents around means you are on your own, and you have to figure out how you're going to get healthy meals and snacks in during and around your classes and practices. I would recommend you practice cooking a few healthy meals before you start college. This means eating well-balanced meals including vegetables, protein, fruits, grains and the appropriate amounts of healthy fats.
Academically, I was lucky enough to attend a high school that had a structured plan to help students prepare for college. With this said, I would recommend that you master your organizational and management skills. Every year I invest in a cute planner which in turn becomes my child and mental savior.
On the track, what has allowed me to be successful is my constant drive and eagerness to learn. I force myself to be a sponge soaking in all the tips that my coaches, teammates, and even competitors give me. As cliché as it sounds, I've learned to trust the process. I can relate to wanting to be the best right away and to be nationally known, but patience is a virtue. Everyone hits their peaks at different points. I've found excitement in knowing that I am far from my best; far from leaving the legacy that I want to leave at Colorado. But I work very hard to achieve the goals I set for myself.
The University of Colorado Boulder believed in me when I was an average sprinter coming out of high school. The coaching staff saw my potential that many schools over looked. My coaches wanted to build with me, and they continue to demand more out of me, even when I think I have exhausted everything. We celebrate accomplishments, but only for a short time, then it's back to the grind to conquer the next goal at hand. That's the beauty of being a collegiate track athlete. That's the beauty of being a Colorado Buffalo.
* Originally published on July 27, 2017, by Gabby Scott
