Dear Running: My Life Is A Tale Of Two Races

Terrell Robinson is a senior at Winston-Salem Mount Tabor (NC) High School in North Carolina. He currently leads the United States at the 55 meter distance with a season-best time of 6.27. With 2022 in front of him, Robinson opened up his final indoor season in January. He remains among his state's top sprinters indoors or outdoors and is among the country's top 100 sprinters for 100 meters. Robinson writes this Dear Running essay with hopeful eyes toward the future. 

By Terrell Robinson - Winston-Salem Mount Tabor '22

Many people in the high school track and field world have seen me blaze down the track with my lightning fast start and rapid acceleration, but no one has been able to see the other race going on in my life. 

I began running track at the age of 12 when I was in the seventh grade at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Back then I was an average kid. I wasn't too good, but not too bad, either.

At the time, it was just something to do.

Over time, though, I got better and better. I won events at AAU indoors nationals, placed outdoors at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, broke numerous meet records and achieved many other accolades as the years went on.

But it wasn't until I was ranked U.S. top 60 in the 55m my freshman year that I began to think that I had the capability of taking this sport farther than I realized. That it was more than just doing it for fun.

I continued to improve and ran some respectable times up until my sophomore indoor season. I was running well and progressing very quickly, but then COVID came and shut down the show.

Here's how I felt: Going into the most important season of my life and preparing for the college recruiting process, I wasn't given an outdoor season to show what I was capable of.

When I got the news that the country and my state of North Carolina was shutting down, I knew it would impact me, but I didn't yet know the magnitude. This was only the beginning. 

And yet, we overcame it. My junior campaign was a great one! I ran some great times, my grades were on point and by the start of my senior year I was expecting many of the colleges and universities across the U.S. to start reaching out and recruit me.

But then, nothing ...

I couldn't understand what was wrong with me. What I had done wrong? What could I do to fix the situation?

I ran times of 6.7, 10.4, and 21.6 my junior year, which, at the bare minimum, is good enough at many programs for scholarship opportunities at the collegiate level. But something just wasn't quite adding up.

Everything doesn't come how or when you want it, but what's important is to not force anything based off of fear or emotion.

So I started researching and asking my coaches. It was then that I was introduced to the term "Covid Seniors."

What came as a result of the pandemic was an extra year of eligibility in the college system for athletes. The problem was, though, that high school kids were still graduating, creating a limbo for talented and hungry athletes just like me. 

I found that college athletes were staying in school for six years (including a red-shirt and COVID year), but that colleges were given no extra scholarship money. 

It all made sense. I realized it made the process for guys like me -- under-recruited and less publicized athletes -- that much harder.

But track and field has taught me numerous things over the years. I know hard work pays off. One of my coach's favorite sayings is, "Have faith and trust what you're doing will pay off." More than that? One of the most important things this experience has taught me is patience.

Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset. It's the ability to endure difficult situations.

During such a pivotal time in my life, being able to have patience could be the difference between success and failure. 

I write this story as an unsigned and un-offered senior to not only encourage but also support those in their journey through life.

Everything doesn't come how or when you want it, but what's important is to not force anything based off of fear or emotion.

There will be moments I face in life that will be scary, but I tell myself: Stay patient, stay encouraged and when the time is right, you will certainly know what's right!

Patience is key!