KY Running Blogs: Jacob Thomson, Holy Cross (Lou.)

 

“To accomplish something, you must first have faith in yourself.”

I have been looking at this quote all week leading up to the Trinity Invitational. This year Trinity was my first real race to kick off my competitive season. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I have faith in my training. Not just this year, but over the last three years. To me, one word comes to mind when I think of training, consistency. My coaches have preached this term to me for years now. I have been laying layer after layer of foundation to set me up in the position I am currently in. I feel like I am strong enough to run with anyone in the country now. To be good at anything, you have to surround yourself with good support. My coaches have always helped lead me down the right path. My teammates have always helped me out in anyway they can. And my parents, family, friends, and school community are always supporting me.

            Going into today’s race, I did have a little extra motivation. Yesterday was the 23rd anniversary of the Standard Gravure Shooting. My grandfather was killed that day. He was a runner in high school, and both of my uncles ran for Holy Cross in the early 90s. He loved to be around the team and help out in anyway he could. After hearing many stories, I think I know where I got my natural competitiveness from. He was a tough nosed guy, not afraid of anything, and never backed down. Today, I felt like I raced that way; leading from the gun, covering surges, refusing to listen to those mid race voices screaming doubts in our ears, and leaving it all on the course. I know he was looking down over me during the race. I am glad to have made him proud.

               As I write this I am on a plane to Colorado. A lot of people have been asking me about my college search; so I guess its time to make it a little more public. I have committed to official visits at Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin (in no particular order, so I put them alphabetically). I have a few other schools in which I am very interested in. Over the next few weeks I will probably decide on my 5th visit. Those are Florida State, Ohio State, Portland, and Texas (again, in no particular order, so I put them alphabetically). Some schools I am looking at I decided to take unofficial visits because they are closer. They are Louisville, NC State after Great American, since I will already be right by their campus; and Kentucky after Lexington Catholic. The recruiting process has been fun but overwhelming at times. I have been luck enough to be about to reach out to many adults, coaches, and college runners who have already been through it to help me. I would encourage everyone who wants to run in college to go for it and find out as much as you can about the different programs.

            I want to give a shout out to my sister who had a huge PR this weekend, and my little brother who got 11th in the middle school race last night. Congrats to my friends at St X. for keeping the team title in KY and the AHS girls for keeping the individual title in KY. And I think a thanks is in order to Coach Wagner at Trinity, Coach Helim at Sacred Heart, and everyone who helped put on such a great meet this year. That’s about all I have for now; guess I should start on my huge pile of homework I told my mom I would get done… Thanks for reading

 

JT