Meets. Some people love them, and some people hate them. I remember back in the day, when I was a freshman, I didn’t really know what to think about them. Honestly, I still don’t.
There are definitely some less than enjoyable parts to meets. The whole “spending hours of free time to feel bad” part isn’t a lot of fun. Track meets can ruin your entire day. There have been times where I’ve woken up miserable just knowing I’d have to compete in like eight hours. Not to mention what happens after getting home from meets. They key me up. I get so hyper after racing. That does not mix well with work and sleep. I cannot get anything done after a meet, and I can’t even fathom sleeping, which obviously screws me over for the next day. Meets also involve something that a lot of people, including me, like to shy away from: trying. Putting a lot of effort into things is usually a pretty big hassle. Running hard and fast is definitely a hassle. I don’t know about you, but after a long day of school, I tend to avoid anything that takes energy, as school totally saps me of any motivation. It is really easy to feel apathetic and just not want to be at long, annoying meets.
Even though meets can be a pain in the ass, they do have a lot going for them too. First of all, running well feels good. I mean, it hurts, but the rush of endorphins and adrenaline after a good race makes you feel great. It’s called a “runner’s high” for a reason. There is also something to be said for competition. Improving and going head to head with others just feels good, as almost anyone can attest. For me though, one of my favorite parts of meets is the people. You get to spend time with your team, joking around and having fun, but also working hard with one another. Some of the best times I’ve had with the team have been on the infield before a race. And then there’s the people on other teams. I actually look forward to some meets because I’ll see friends who I really only see because of track. There is a strong sense of camaraderie between runners. Warming up before your race and standing on the starting line, you just meet people. You have an instant connection: you are both runners. I’ve made a lot of good friends just by going to meets, and now they are one of the main reasons I get through them with my sanity. It’s really nice racing with guys you know and respect. It really takes the edge off.
Even though I like to complain about meets a lot, I really do enjoy them. They may be long, and they may be a hassle, but I am truly glad that they exist. Losing a night of sitting around doing homework is a more than reasonable trade to do what you love and be around friends.
