With the current conditions in the world, it was easy to assume that returning to MU this semester was going to look very different, however, for athletes on campus, this semester is looking more strange after the decision was made to postpone athletics until the spring semester.
For this week’s series, I interviewed senior cross-country athlete, Lyndsey Payne, to see what this semester looks like for her while not participating in her sport. Payne is a senior this year, and the news of the postponement was especially hard for her. When she competed in her last cross-country race in the Fall 2019 semester, she did not expect it to be her last just yet. “Not knowing that it was your final cross-country race in the moment is heartbreaking,” she said. Payne was looking forward to the final opportunities that were left in store for her after a culmination of eight years of training.
While the runners are not competing this semester, they are still keeping up with their training. Cross-country began practicing four days a week as of August 31, 2020 and plan for track practices to start soon. Practice is important in case the season is still on. “Being a distance runner demands year-round training. We have fall cross-country, winter indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and summer training,” says Payne. As far as the fate of the outdoor season goes, it is hard to tell how the NCAA will decide to run this season and how limited it could be. “For now, all we can do is train hard and be hopeful that we get the opportunities to toe the line again in those bigger races,” Payne said.
While this time is hard for her and she is missing her teammates off campus, Payne has been using this time without races to her advantage academically. Payne has been career pathing and studying hard for her SIE license so that she can become a Certified Financial Planner post-graduation. “How you react in adversity is everything, not just with sports but with life in general, too,” she said.
When I asked Payne what she would miss most about her sport she admitted that it was tough to say. “Mansfield is home. It’s my hometown. Being from here and racing in a Mansfield jersey means extra to me,” Payne said. While racing in her hometown was very special to her, she is thankful for the coaches that she has had the privilege of working with over the years as well. “Any coach can get a runner to run fast times, but only a great coach can get an athlete to peak at the right time of the season,” she said. All in all, missing out on her senior cross-country season leaves a lot of room for heartache and disappointment. Payne will miss Tuesday night under the lights practices, the feeling she gets the morning of race day, the feeling on the line when the gun goes off and on the final stretch, canyon 12 miles on Sunday mornings and Monday Hills Creek recovery days. However, what she is going to miss the most are all the people that she has been able to meet on this journey. We wish Lyndsey the best of luck with her athletic season and her future endeavors and are hopeful that she will get a senior season.