To me, this in one of them.
It caught me totally off guard.
I had expected it to be just another race. A fun trip to Sioux Falls for Jamison's final Nike Heartland Regional Cross Country race was all I had on my agenda. In my mind it was to be one last party with Jamison's cross brothers.
I was not one bit nervous that morning. I was calm, fully present, and enjoying the day.
This meet is special. The guys have nicknamed it Heartland. Jamison has run in it the past three years. The first time it was awe-inspiring. This, the third time, it felt HUGE and special and fun, yet familiar.
There are athletes present from 7 states. Nike hosts the event. There are bleachers, an announcer, music pumping, a professional runner handing out trophies. It feels like the real deal.
In the division in which Jamison and his team raced there were over 700 runners signed-up. They split this group into two separate races of 350+ runners. Jamison's team ran in the second race.
My dad and I watched the first race and made a plan for where on the course we would go to watch Jamison run. We decided to split up so that Jamison would have people yelling for him in multiple areas of the race.
I always watch the start. It's just my thing. I have to know he started the race without a hitch. As I was waiting for the start, I glanced up at the scoreboard from the former race and realized that if Jamison ran the same time he had run at state, he would very possibly place in the top 20 of his race. I was excited. And also a little shocked. I had not been at this race since he was a sophomore, at that time his PRs put him in the upper half of the race, but certainly not top 20. I thought to myself, "this might be more interesting than I thought!"
And then the gun went off!
Watching 350 runners start a race is really something!
This meet is special. The guys have nicknamed it Heartland. Jamison has run in it the past three years. The first time it was awe-inspiring. This, the third time, it felt HUGE and special and fun, yet familiar.
There are athletes present from 7 states. Nike hosts the event. There are bleachers, an announcer, music pumping, a professional runner handing out trophies. It feels like the real deal.
In the division in which Jamison and his team raced there were over 700 runners signed-up. They split this group into two separate races of 350+ runners. Jamison's team ran in the second race.
My dad and I watched the first race and made a plan for where on the course we would go to watch Jamison run. We decided to split up so that Jamison would have people yelling for him in multiple areas of the race.
I always watch the start. It's just my thing. I have to know he started the race without a hitch. As I was waiting for the start, I glanced up at the scoreboard from the former race and realized that if Jamison ran the same time he had run at state, he would very possibly place in the top 20 of his race. I was excited. And also a little shocked. I had not been at this race since he was a sophomore, at that time his PRs put him in the upper half of the race, but certainly not top 20. I thought to myself, "this might be more interesting than I thought!"
And then the gun went off!
Watching 350 runners start a race is really something!
(I spy my guy.)
After I saw him run past, I raced across the course so I could be cheering near the mile mark.
This is an excellent spectator course. It makes a big loop that the guys run twice. Though you are not always close, you can see much of the race no matter where you stand. So although I was too far away to cheer, I watched as the runners started to spread out. As Jamison approached the mile mark, he was in the lead pack. He was racing in about tenth position.
I was SO excited!
One thing I know about Jamison is that when he begins a race well, he ends it well. When I saw him take off and claim his position in the lead pack, I knew in my heart that this would be a race for the ages.
Better still, several of his teammates were right at his heels! The one remaining wish I had this season was for ALL the guys to run well on the same day. At the one mile mark, it looked like a strong possibility.
I watched them race up this incline, and then I took off like a crazy momma to yell for them on the other side of the course. Thank God for adrenaline or I would never have made it!
These three pictures were taken near the middle of the race.
At this point I was so stinking excited! Jamison was sitting in about 4th place. He looked strong and confident and courageous. It was a moment of dreams. Huge race. Huge! And my son running beautifully in the front of the pack. Though there is not a time or placing that could make me feel more proud of my son than I already do, seeing him succeeding at what he loves brought me so much joy.
As he raced by I remember blurting out "Oh Jamison! You look amazing! I am so proud of you." (It was probably good I was surrounded by strangers because "Go JAM!" is a more son-approved way of cheering!)
He raced by and I took off back across the course.
At one point, I paused in the middle to soak it all in. Looking across this huge course and seeing my boy running in the lead pack with 350 runners strung out behind him was absolutely surreal.
As was the fact that I was so calm and in the moment!
I was even texting updates to Chad and taking photos.
It is hard to see, but at the two mile mark he was in fourth.
The field had widened.
The guy in first was a ways ahead.
There was a fight for second and third.
Jay was running alone in fourth.
Jay was running alone in fourth.
The pack was at his back.
Two of his teammates were close behind!
I honestly don't think I have ever been as excited at a race. It was SO fun! The fact that I went into this race with no expectations turned out to be such blessing because it allowed this race to be like a surprise present for this momma.
I shot a quick text to Chad that said "4th at 2 mile" and sprinted to a spot where I could see him as the last 1000 began.
As I sprinted across the field, I could hear the announcer calling the race. He said, "So and So is in first, Such and Such is in second, and there is a dog fight for third." And I thought MY SON is a part of that dog fight!
And soon, the dog fight was right in front of me.
As the announcer had said. First and second placings were fairly secure - but three through ten were up for grabs. The leader of that pack was changing every few strides. Jamison was running strong, holding his form - but I knew he was tiring. I knew the end of this race would be all about guts.
After they raced by, I texted Chad, "crazy fight pack for 3 to 10 all guts and he's fighting."
I was calm during the race (the super excited kind of calm) but as I recount it, I'm a bit of an emotional mess!
Waiting to see him at the finish was an eternity!
I had no doubt he would finish well, but just how well?!?
Both the angle of the course and the number of spectators at the finish limited my view, so when I finally caught a glimpse of Jamison coming down the home stretch my heart was bursting!
As they came into the finish, Jamison and Mason (his teammate and friend) raced stride for stride. Mason has beaten Jamison most of the year.
I knew Jamison was wiped - but the set of his jaw told me he was not going down without a fight!
I love this shot.
It was his final "heave"! With this decisive lunge, he pulled ahead of Mason and stayed that way through the finish.
He later said, "Mason helped me out at the end."
I loved those words as I pondered them. He used Mason's strength and built on it, just as Mason used Jamison's position in the race to build his own confidence during this race. Teammates spur each other on, push each other to new heights, and celebrate each others successes. These boys, and the rest of Jamison's team have been brothers like no other this year. They have taken their talent to new levels because together they are more than they are on their own. It is beautiful.
My text to Chad at the end of this race was "gutted it like a boss top 10!"
Jamison finished this race in 6th place.
(He was 11th overall once they combined the times from the two races in this division.)
(He was 11th overall once they combined the times from the two races in this division.)
His time was 16.30.
16 seconds faster than he had run at state, which was 17 seconds faster than his previous PR.
In all honesty, I didn't know Jamison could run that fast... yet! I knew he could and would run that fast - but I though it would be next season.
It was an amazing race for him personally.
(After the race I was privy to a couple of precious conversations. Evan, one of his BFFs and teammates, asked Jamison his placing and time. Jamison responded and Evan's mouth dropped open and awe shone through his face. That awe was quickly replaced by joy when he responded, "Jam! That's awesome!" Evan finished this race in the top 50 and set his own PR! Jamison's buddy Joey is fun and funny! He didn't have a record breaking race, yet after he said "JAM! Great race! I was so far behind you that I watched you run. You looked amazing!" And Coach Lies joked that Jamison was the first athlete he has ever wished would flunk out and have to repeat senior year. I think Coach may be having as rough a time as momma thinking of Jamison heading off to college!)
(After the race I was privy to a couple of precious conversations. Evan, one of his BFFs and teammates, asked Jamison his placing and time. Jamison responded and Evan's mouth dropped open and awe shone through his face. That awe was quickly replaced by joy when he responded, "Jam! That's awesome!" Evan finished this race in the top 50 and set his own PR! Jamison's buddy Joey is fun and funny! He didn't have a record breaking race, yet after he said "JAM! Great race! I was so far behind you that I watched you run. You looked amazing!" And Coach Lies joked that Jamison was the first athlete he has ever wished would flunk out and have to repeat senior year. I think Coach may be having as rough a time as momma thinking of Jamison heading off to college!)
Equally thrilling, it was an amazing race for each of his teammates! Nearly every young man set a new PR. As a team they placed 3rd out of 74 teams!
They were called to the podium and received a trophy from Nike professional runner, Hassan Mead.
It was a dream come true kind of a day.
I thank God that I was there to witness it. It was simply amazing!
As the season comes to a complete close, I am so proud of these boys and their coaches. They took some big risks this year. They completely overhauled their training program. They logged more miles than ever before. In fact, they were building mileage right up to WDA. The guys had to trust the coaches. Jamison did not beat his times from junior year until state. He chose to be patient. Stick with the program. Race as the coaches asked him to race. In the end, the rewards were great. But in the middle - it was hard! (Another life metaphor, is it not?!?)
To top off the celebratory feel, Jamison made a BIG decision this week.
In his words via Instagram "Finally achieved the goal I set freshman year: to run in college. Marauder cross country and track here I come! #umarybound #cantwait"
After much consideration, Jamison has committed to running (and going to college) at the University of Mary. I could not be more comfortable with his decision. Educationally the school is a slam dunk. It will give him a fabulous education both as an undergrad and as he chooses to move on. (He currently plans to major in exercise science and go on to Physical Therapy.) Though the University is technically in Bismarck, it is about 40 miles from our home, and he will live on campus. So - although he could easily come home for laundry services or Sunday dinner - Jamison will get a real college feeling. He will live and breath school and cross/track which is exactly what he is longing for. The school will have a brand-new indoor track for his freshman season! They have been very deliberate in their recruiting. Jamison feels needed, wanted, and a part of the future of Marauder running already.
I'm just so happy for him!
