[TRAINING & LIFE NOTES FROM A FRESHMAN AT UC RIVERSIDE]
Representing San Diego’s Mount Carmel High School, CKTH and XIIIG
ENTRY 001: 2022 FIRST COLLEGIATE CROSS COUNTRY SEASON RECAP
As a walk-on at the University of California, Riverside, I had nothing to prove. That said, things could have also been better in the beginning of my inaugural season for the Highlanders (i.e., for the record, "Scotty Highlander" is the official mascot for UC Riverside).
In the outset, I was underprepared and struggling to find my footing.
In fact, towards the middle of summer training on campus, my coach was thinking of not even taking me to Mammoth for altitude training. Thankfully, he took a chance on me. And once I heard that I had made that cut, I told myself that I needed to prove why I was there.
So that is precisely what I did. I raced well at the Reno Twilight meet and had some great follow-on workouts as well. This was the spark and the confidence boost that I wanted and needed. From there, I worked my ass off through challenging workouts and horrid long runs. I just kept plugging away.
I finally saw my fitness shine at the UCR Invite, where I ran 25:38 in the 8k. I was happy with this result but knew that I could perform even better. Moreover, I also had my eyes set on another goal: to make the Notre Dame trip. Again, I worked even harder and put myself through the ringer to reach another “next level.” At the end of a 1200 workout, my coach approached me and said that I made the Notre Dame squad. Another milestone.
I was so happy — but like before I knew that I still had a lot to prove and needed to continue working. Although I did not race very well at Notre Dame, the experience and the learning moments that I took away from it meant the world to me. Ultimately, I adopted the mentality that I simply needed to get better and be the best that I could be — stacking my progress with each successive race.
Toward the end of the season, I could tell that my body was beginning to tire. My workouts were going well but I still needed to replicate that success on race day with greater consistency.
My final goal was to race in the Big West Championship race — and I did. Admittedly, I was not feeling the greatest, and my IT band and knee were hurting — but I raced. If felt great to do it for my team, my coaches and myself.
Looking back on my first collegiate cross country season, I saw a theme. That theme was that I felt like I started high school cross country all over again: Coming in fresh, knowing very little of what I could do — but doing everything in my power to show people that I can work hard, face adversity and grind like no other.
I am proud of myself this past cross country season but I am not content. I know that I can do better and get faster and and that is what I will do. Onto the next one: Aka the 2022 reset and beginning to my indoor season.