Brian Menke was a key member to the Class AA power Covington Catholic over the last few years. Below are his Senior Send-off questions. If you just graduated, you can answer the questions below and email them to Jonathan Grooms at kytrackxc@gmail.com
What was your most memorable meet or race?
My final race with the CovCath cross country team when we took runner-up at State in 2013. I have never been a part of a race where team unity played such an important role. I could not have asked for a better way to end my 4 years of cross country than with a group of guys that ran their hardest for each other.
Out of all your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
The accomplishments I look back on with most pride are my team accomplishments. I would ultimately have to pick the team runner-up at 2A Cross Country State 2013.
If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would change?
I regret the times when I put so much pressure on myself to succeed in races that I lost track of enjoying the moment with the team and the spirit of the sport.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
At the end of my senior track season I suffered a hip injury that impaired me to the point where I ran significantly slower than the past year’s Regional and State races. I had high hopes to end my high school career with a bang, but I ultimately realized that the sour end to 4 years of Track and Cross Country should not tarnish the great times I had up to that point.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss the runs in the blistering heat and bone chilling cold. I will miss the speed workouts where my legs became numb. I will miss the monstrous hills that seemed to never end. I will miss the teammates, coaches, and fellow athletes who carried me through all of these things.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
Don’t get too caught up in the competitiveness of the sport. Yes, it is always important to push yourself to succeed and do the best that you can do, but in the end all that matters is that you’ve worked hard and enjoyed every minute of the sport. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself that you forget to enjoy the sport for what it is.
What are your college/career plans?
I will attend Xavier University this fall and hope to major in Business. As for running, I am already training for a marathon this fall and I am undecided as to whether I will try to find my way back into competitive running in college.
Who would you like to thank?
I would first like to thank my coaches for sacrificing so much for me and my fellow runners while receiving little gain and recognition for what they do. I would also like to thank my teammates for sharing the many memorable experiences. Lastly, I would like to thank the many athletes and coaches from other teams who portrayed sportsmanship in every sense of the word.