KYtrackXC.com asked the athletes who traveled to New Balance Nationals in New York to write about their experience. Below are the four who responded about their trip.
Tretez Kinnaird – Butler High School
29th Overall in the 800m Run – 1:57.20
Friday, the big day, my mom and I flew out from Louisville and landed in LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York. The skyline of New York was breath taking. The moment we got off the plane I knew we were no longer in Kentucky. We got off the plane in the middle of the runway. Once we reached the Airport finding transportation was really hectic. The city is very busy and there were more people than I've ever seen. Upon arriving at our host Hotel in Teaneck, New Jersey we caught an express bus that sped through the city. I would catch glimpses of the tall high rise building around the city, the walker’s speed walking like no other, and runners doing their daily jogs. There is no doubt New York is alive.
The next day we caught the city bus to the Armory. We were let off at the Port Authority which was at the end of the George Washington Bridge. I've seen this famous bridge on television but it was amazing. We walked for 12 blocks to get to the Armory. In those 12 blocks I observed the city and it was very interesting. We arrived at the historic Armory. The brick building with track symbols was very inspiring. Once I walked inside I was amazed to see the legacies of all the great runners that have ran and set national records in this building. My mom took a picture of me pointing at the 800 and 1 mile records. Now I'm in focus mode, getting ready for my race. I'm on the starting line and the gun goes off. I didn't get out good but fought really hard to finish despite from being sick all weekend. Unfortunately I didn't get the time I wanted but the overall experience is one I'll never forget.
This was a tough race and one I've learned from. I ran 1:57 and hope next year I can come back and do better. While waiting to catch our bus to the airport, I witness some amazing races. I followed many runners from around the states on KYtrackXC and I was able to see some of those runners in action at the Armory it was a great experience.
Ellen Marko – Assumption High School
Member of the 20th Place 3200m Relay Team – 9:49.38
Having the experience to be a part of a meet with such a high competition level was unreal. Just watching the athletes compete was exciting enough--multiple national records were set! But to actually race with these athletes was so rewarding. They pushed me to really go after it, and the competition helped our team set a school record in every event we ran. We knew we would have to work hard not to get last, but we were definitely inspired to do something big, and our 4xmile even earned our first point for a national event.
This meet has definitely been the highlight of my running career, and I am so blessed to have the experience to be a part of a national-level competition. To know that we made it to the meet and were able to pull off some big performances was a big boost for our team. I was able to walk away from the event with so much more racing experience and pride in our team.
Also, the fact that we were in New York just added to the excitement of the experience. With the exception of the NSIC last year, I have never been to NY. I was so excited to just walk around NY and to visit ground zero, Times Square, and to even ride the subway.
Daniel Buckles – Grayson County High School
20th Overall in the Pentathlon
Overall, my experience at NBIN was incredible. Between the perfect organization of the meet, the location at The Armory in New York City, thousands of great athletes, and a rocking atmosphere, it was an amazing meet. Nowhere else in the country could you find anything that could compare to the New Balance Indoor Nationals.
Especially in the pentathlon, the level of competition was unbelievable. It was impressive competing alongside amazing athletes like Gunnar Nixon who set the national record in the event. I was slightly disappointed with my finish as a result of a hamstring strain in the second event (long jump) which affected me throughout the last few events. However, the training staff was incredible and kept me on the track and enabled me to finish the event near a personal best. Hopefully, I can build off of my experience at NBIN and come out and have a great outdoor season.
Ann Eason – Sayre
18th Overall in the 5000 Meter Run – 17:53.74
The only word I could use to describe the overall NBIN experience would be amazing! It was so much fun to get a chance to run in a different state and to be around so many top level athletes. When I finally arrived at the Armory I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I could tell that I was going to be part of something special. Just walking from the street to the bleachers I saw so many footlocker finalists and nationally ranked runners. By just watching the athletes getting prepared for their upcoming races you could tell their dedication and love for the sport. That was something really great to be around. Although I was so excited for my race to get started, I was also getting very nervous. I was anxious about running on an unfamiliar track in an unfamiliar place, especially since the race I was about to run was 17 more laps than I had ever raced on a track.
Running on a track with so much history, like the Armory, produced an incredible atmosphere and I felt more like I was running a huge college meet than a high school one. I couldn’t believe I would be sharing the track with so many incredibly talented girls. Though I was a little disappointed in my race, I have absolutely no regrets about running. Aside from my race, I got to witness history being made with two national high school records being broken—it was unbelievable! The level of competition and atmosphere was unlike anything I had ever experienced before and the experience is something I will remember forever. Running in a meet like this also gave me more confidence for the outdoor season, and I can’t wait to start racing again! Thanks to the KTCCCA for offering financial support and to everyone who was cheering me on both at the track and watching at home!!
KYtrackXC.com asked the athletes who traveled to New Balance Nationals in New York to write about their experience. Below are the four who responded about their trip.
Tretez Kinnaird – Butler High School