Every track athlete dreams of it, but only one lives it. The feeling of the sun beating down on the track. Sweat glistening, muscles tightening, and spikes digging into the track. With the crack of the starting gun, senior Angel Wilson explodes off the starting blocks. The track blurs beneath his feet, each stride devouring every meter like a wildfire across dry grass.
Wilson has been running track since the seventh grade, and currently holds three school records for the 60, 100, and 200 meter events, achievements that earned him a spot in the Junior Olympics over the summer. Achievements like this beg the question: How did he get here?
“I quit football and I was like, ‘What other sport could I do?’ And I was known for being faster. So, I was like, ‘Let me try track,’” Wilson said.
Throughout his track career, Wilson has gained many unforgettable memories. However, he says that his meet at regionals stood out because of his commanding performance.
“I would probably say [a unique experience] was doing a clean sweep of regionals. I feel like that felt pretty good not losing a race then,” Wilson said.
Though trophies and records often get the most attention, Wilson says the hard work in an athlete’s career and active recovery is often overlooked.
“For us, training is often very high-intense lactic days mixed in with a lot of recovery, form, plyometric, [and other] stuff like that,” Wilson said, “which is definitely very difficult and is a lot on your body when you do it all at the same time.”
Although Wilson typically runs alone, training is a different story. He says that every step of the way the team grows closer, stronger, and ultimately, makes them better runners.
“If you’re just doing the workouts by yourself, it’s so much more painful. I feel like that’s probably what it is. Just going through all these painful workouts kind of builds a very strong community,” Wilson said.
While community drives Wilson, his teammates believe his part within the team dynamic is more important. Senior and track sprinter John Culp has seen the vital role Wilson plays.
“He shows up in November, December, and we’ll go stride for stride. I mean, he was my practice buddy all the way from freshman year. And when January hits, he just unlocks something where I have to fight for my life to not be embarrassed,” Culp said, “And then, when the season hits, the indoor season in February, he just becomes like a different runner.”
Culp isn’t the only one impressed by Wilson’s improvements. Athletic trainer at Noblesville High School has worked with Wilson during recovery.
“He was great. He was always a hard worker. He was pretty diligent with his recovery and all that kind of stuff,” Davis said.
Although Wilson no longer competes hurdles, he knows that running isn’t always full steam ahead.
“A lot of times you’re running in a straight line, so I feel it’s about your mentality. You just have to focus on your own race and not worry about whoever’s around you,” Wilson said, “Because at the end of the day, you’re running against yourself.”
