College and University Level Track; The Mile Run

by Lance Winslow

Are you an athlete who competes in track and field? If so you maybe surprised that at the College and University level it is not much different than the Championship State Meets at the High School Level. I was quite surprised to find that most of the top high school athletes I competed against at the high school levels showed up on the rosters of the various Universities and Colleges, as many had been offered scholarships and taken them.

It was need to see that the competition was tougher at the College and University level and it was merely an extension of the same. Although there were some very strong athletes at the top of the University Level all of which were looking for a spot on the US Olympic Team in track and field.

Being a miler I can remember when I ran my first four-minute mile and came in seventh place in an invitational track meet. Last place and yet I ran a four-minute mile? Of course running against a former world record holder and one who went on to hold the world record indoor mile record for 6-months was indeed a pretty great thing to be a part of.

The amount of training and abuse you put your body thru to even compete at that level is truly insane and yet even without best running genes, even though my mother would have been an Olympic Swimmer, as she qualified as an Olympic Alternate and then got pregnant with me; I realized that if I wanted to keep winning, that is what it takes.

Many people who run track and field at the College and University level are not bound for the Olympics and they are not so into winning as I, but I always thought to myself, why are you here then?

Their answer would have been for the free food, free room and board and free education. Myself, I only care about winning, but hey that’s just me. Running at the College and University Level is a worthy and if you are scholarship material, then keep it up and you will be glad you did, as it is an extension of high school championship competition, but remember once you get there it is hard work.