On your mark, get set, RUN!
The race has just begun for Palisade Bulldogs involved in Track and Field. Spending a Saturday out in the sun while competing and cheering on your fellow Bulldogs are memories you can’t find anywhere else. But what makes track and field unique is that it’s more than just a sport, it’s a community.
Kaleb Reed is one of the team captains who the Bulldogs look up to each day. “I think one of my favorite things about track is the community we build,” Reed says. “I think within all the separate groups we really build a family and everyone just enjoys being around each other.” Reed has been involved in track and field since his freshman year and is currently a senior. He is a sprinter who competes in events such as the 100, 200, and 400 and all relays surrounding these races. His best and favorite event is the 200 meter dash. Reed wants to motivate as many people as possible to partake in the sport. When asked what advice he would give to a freshman, he says: “Track is definitely one of those sports where the workouts aren’t fun and they suck sometimes. But you have to remember you’re doing track to be competitive amongst others, not so much for the sport itself.” Reed’s personal goal this season is to take a relay or even a single Palisade runner to State.
If you’re not a runner, there’s plenty of other events within track and field which may be right up your lane. Do you like to lift weights? Try throwing. Are you tall and enjoy hovering above everyone else? Jumping might be your future!
Although it is primarily known for running, track and field is also full of many other events. But at the end of the day, it’s not just the time you run or the distance you throw, it’s about the community you’re involved with and the teammates you can call friends. Nothing can replace the feeling when you’re running towards the finish line and your fellow Bulldogs are cheering you on. From the wise words of Kaleb Reed, “come run track!”
