The trip to Oregon for the Prefontaine Classic was an once in a lifetime type of experience. I enjoyed every single thing about it.
When we got in on Thursday, we toured the Nike Headquarters and gave our input on the running shoes and spikes that haven't released yet. We took a Nike charter bus to Eugene,Oregon and that night we met Olympian sprinters and distance runners. We also got a bag full of gear later that night.
Friday morning, we went to Hayward Field just to get a feel for the track where we saw more professional athletes.
The night of the race was unreal. Walking to the starting line of the 200, I didn't realize how many people were in attendance until I looked up. That's when the feeling hit me that I was really there. The race was pretty quick. Coming off of the curve in lane 8, I didn't have my best race but I will never forget how great of a night it was.
Saturday was the race day for the pros. It was a fantastic meet overall with much competition and many familiar faces on the track and field. Meeting the different athletes from all over the U.S. was pretty cool. We all got along very well. I'd say meeting Rai and Ryan was crazy because I see those guys all over the internet and I never would've thought I'd be the one spending a weekend with them.
Out of all the states that attended, I think Texas and of course Florida had the funniest athletes. Bonding with the team Florida athletes was easy. To know that we represented our state in the FIRST ever high school Pre-Classic was just unbelievable. We clicked lightning quick and that is what made the trip even better because we wasted no time getting to know each other.
My favorite parts about the trip were getting to see Allyson Felix up close, being sponsored by Nike the whole weekend, and just having a ball with the best high school athletes in the world. The crew at Nike made sure we had everything we needed at all times and made us feel like family. They treated us like royalty and I can't give enough appreciation to the company for making it a lifelong memory. I am extremely blessed and truly thankful that I got the opportunity to participate in this historical event. Special thanks to Simon Bairu and Pat Werhane for everything.