So this wanders off topic, but some other threads have had me thinking back to my time in college and the last time I competed my Sr. year. I ran track. I can still remember the last meet of my college career. Im not sure if I was more aware of the circumstances then other players, but I went into the meet knowing it was the last time I would probably compete at that level.
It was our final conference meet. Over the years I have gotten to know a lot of the jumpers (i was a HJ/LJ/TJ/ Decathlete) from the other schools. The final event that I competed in that day was the high jump. I ended up winning the meet, which was not unusual, but not a given going into the meet. After my final jump I remember a lot of the competitors from the other teams coming up to me to congratulate me on my college career. For those that I knew were SRs I did the same thing. I also had a number of coaches from the other schools, that I had gotten to know over the years, stop by to say goodbye as well.
After we were done talking to each other, I remember sitting down on the grass and just staring at everything going on around me. It was a little emotional to know it was all done. I probably sat there for a good 10 or 15 minutes before changing out of my uni top and spikes. The meet was still going on. It was a home meet and normally I would have left at this point and headed back to my apartment. Instead I stayed at the track to the conclusion of the meet. There were only 4 other SRs on the team that year. We basically hung together watching the meet. After the meet the HC and ACs walked over and thanked each one of us and asked us to keep in touch.
We had a tradition with our team called the Golden Mile. Basically it was the Sunday after our first outdoor home meet every year. Each person would set a 6 pack of Molson Golden on the starting line, chug two beers, run a lap, chug a beer, run a lap, chug a beer, run a lap, chug two beers, run a lap. This was an unsanctioned team event, the coaches knew about it, but it broke the no drinking rule, so they pretty much stayed away from campus on this day.
The 4 remaining SRs decided to run one last Golden Mile. A grad assistant and two of the ACs saw us setting up for the run and came out to the track. They joined into the run. We had a great time that night just kinda hanging out and being stupid.
Anyway, does anyone else remember the last time they actually competed?