As we are under two weeks away from the Appalachian American Conference Championship, my teammates and I have worked hard to be competitive and win as much as possible during our indoor season. Our hard work has paid off with many national and conference qualifiers and a good chance to win team titles on both levels, men and women. However, something that goes under the radar is what these meets look like from start to finish. A lot of people see and praise the results, but they don’t know what happens when we leave on Friday or Saturday. This is a little glimpse of what we go through:
This past weekend we competed in the Camel City Elite Invitational in Winston Salem, NC. The meet was held at JDL Fast Track. JDL is one of the fastest flat indoor track facilities in the nation and also where our conference championship will be held in less than two weeks.
Our journey starts during our traditional bag pick-up on Thursday, Jan. 31. Our bag includes all the essentials we need for the weekend. This includes our uniforms, warmups, jackets, snacks, and water. We are sent our itinerary, meal sheets, and schedule by our coaches, and our team operations staff coordinates this through email as we prepare for the competition. After a good night’s rest, we arrive in the canyon to depart campus at around 9 a.m. on Friday. As we file in on the bus, we are decked out in our team’s gear and apparel. For me, there’s always a sense of excitement, anxious anticipation, and focus in the air.
The scene on the bus is a mixed bag. Some of us are asleep, doing homework, or talking with our fellow teammates. Others, like me, are in our own little world listening to music and thinking about the upcoming competition. Everyone’s different in their mental preparation, and it sort of depends on what time they will be running during the day. As a sprinter, I’m always one of the first events, so I know I have to be mentally focused as soon as I get off the bus.
Track view during Men’s elite 3000m run 
Sprint crew at team camp 
Hayes with Team Ops Coordinator Hope Manifold 
Skylan Stephens (Left) and Evan Hayes (right) watching the Women’s Mile Run 
Distance crew chatting between races and supporting other teammates
When we arrive at the facility, you see hundreds of other athletes with their respective teams warming up, setting up camp, and checking in for their events. As the first events begin to get underway, the atmosphere in the building begins to pick up, and the spirit of competition and school pride takes over. Teams gather around the fenced track and file into the bleachers to cheer on their teammates.
As the meets continue you see other athletes, like myself, begin to check in for their events and warm up. Sometimes it can be hard to focus in a place with so many moving parts, but you have to get through that mental barrier. This week, I ran the open 400-meter dash. As I do my warmup and listen to my music, I’m finding the balance between going through my race, but also not working myself up to the point where I’m anxious and overthinking.
As I go to the call area, I see all the other athletes lined up to race in my event. This is usually a very tense time for an athlete. You’re sort of away from everyone else in the venue and only with the people that want to beat you. Everyone is laser-focused. After a period of waiting that can feel like forever, I, along with my competitors, are escorted to the starting line around the “back stretch” of the facility. As the other heats run, the facility instructor breaks down the event’s rules and stipulations. This varies between every race.
As I walk my way onto the track, I go through my pre-race routine as I wait for the starting gun. I focus on the task at hand, and when the gun fires I take off. I get out fast and execute my race plan to the best of my ability.
I came home with my first collegiate win.
I was congratulated by my coaches and teammates as I did my cool down and became a relaxed spectator and supporter for my teammates.
The rest of the meet concluded with cheers, laughs, inside jokes, and memories being made. As the first day of Camel City concludes, we go back onto the bus and head to our team dinner at Coppola’s restaurant in Winston-Salem.
After a productive day, the energy at the restaurant and on the bus is positive. Everyone is seated together discussing the meet or just whatever the conversation brings at the moment. As the food comes, we enjoy our meals and fellowship together. Eventually, we make our way to our hotel where we hang out with each other briefly before heading to bed for the next day.
Saturday morning comes and we eat breakfast together and shuttle to the facility within our designated times. Normally, most people run on both days, but this meet was different. The Camel City Invitational is an annual meet where professional track and field athletes come to compete for prize money. Saturday is when most of those events take place, where only a few of our teammates were competing. We watched as the professionals put on a show for everyone in attendance while the organizers at JDL did their best to add to the magnitude of the situation. There was a light show introduction for the “elite races,” while everyone on the team enjoyed being strictly fans for once. It was truly a sight to behold.
As this is going on, we recover from the previous day and catch up on some homework. As the meet comes to an end, we clean up the team camp and head to the bus.
The rides back to campus are usually a little quieter than the ride leaving campus. Most of us are asleep or watching movies, but usually, there’s a sudden burst of energy on the bus as it is filled with random conversations that entertain us for the time being. We got back to campus around 9 p.m. The trips are very rewarding and lots of fun, and I’m thankful to be given the opportunity. I’m looking forward to making memories for the rest of the season with my wonderful teammates and newfound Milligan family.
Headline photo from Milligan Cross Country, Track and Field
All other photos from Evan Hayes