The End of an Era

This weekend marks the last state meet I will ever run.  It will be one of my last races in high school, and it is a very bittersweet moment for me.  I'm ordering graduation announcements right now.  I bought a bike for college.  I have my own laundry bag now.  A few months ago, going to college seemed to be quite a long way off.  Now it's strangely close, and it's the most unusual feeling.  

When I first entered high school running, I didn't see it as much more than a hobby.  I picked it up because my siblings had done it before me.  But as I spent more time with the team and coaches, I learned to love this crazy sport.  It got to the point where my weekends were filled up with racing and team dinners, and my days were spent going on runs after school.  And I had no problem with that at all.  Until my junior year, I didn't even realize how much running could do for me.  But Jim helped me to get in touch with the coaches at Montana State, and after emailing back and forth for a year, going on college visits, and receiving a few home visits, I signed to run on a NCAA Division I level for MSU.

I'm a little sad to see the end of my high school career, but I'm excited to see what the future holds, and I know that this is far from the end of my running career.  I feel quite confident that college running will hold just as much joy for me, if not more, than high school running has.  I am thrilled to be a part of a team of dedicated runners and wonderful people next year.

So, this Friday and Saturday, I will put on my Park City uniform for the last time, and try my best to represent my school well.  Running for Park City has had its ups and downs, but I have loved my time here, and will always love the people that I met here.