College Man

JT’s first year at Springfield College wrapped up yesterday he’s happily home for the summer.  His room is once again the dark cave of boy town.  I did some cleanup work while he was away, though he’ll make quick work of messing it up again.  It’s how I know the right young man came home.

The end of this first year also means the end of his first year as a Division III college athlete.  The boy has logged in a lot of miles, first on the Fall Cross Country team; in the Winter and Spring he ran Indoor and then Outdoor Track, his first full seasons in those two sports.  We watched quite a few races and heard about all of them, nervously waiting for the race day report when we weren’t there to watch.  He made some good friends and had fun; every few weeks, he’d send me pictures of those friends.  He learned a lot and is excited by the course of study he’s chosen. I enjoy hearing about the things he’s learning; he enjoys sharing that news.

Last Summer, I nervously awaited his departure with little sense of what this next chapter of life would bring either of us.  As we both settled into our new habits it was reassuring that we found happy routines and traditions.  Those pictures he texted me showed me the face of a happy boy; one doing well. Seeing his face and feeling re-assured that he made the right college choice made the year much nicer for me.

Even as I celebrate the successful transition, I’m happy that he’s home again.  It’s nice to have his company and hear his laughter.  I enjoy cooking him meals.  We’ve both learned some things about ourselves in the last 9 months but I’m also reminded how some things don’t change: big as he is, he’s still my baby.

Race Day: Smith College Invitational

On Friday afternoon, T and I made the trip north to watch JT run in the second race of the season, held at Smith College.  After a blistering hot week, the weather had cooled and the morning of the race was overcast with temps in the 60s.  The team was excited.

The start was its usual stampede.

The course was hilly and the team ran with a purpose, looking to send a message to some of the teams in their conference who were also present in the race.

JT ran well, shaving time off of his last performance and coming in 29:22.  It was a hilly course and he was especially pleased with how he ran.

His team did well; the women placed third and the men placed first.  T and I had fun and took him out for lunch after the race.  He talked a mile a minute about his classes and the team.  We drove back home pleased that he’s settled in so nicely.  

That’s happy!

Race Day: Jim Sheehan Invitational

JT’s first race wearing a Springfield College jersey was on Saturday.  I drove up to Fitchburg, Massachusetts to cheer him on.  The race location was a wooded conservation area with rolling hills and plenty of shade.  Race day was cool, the sort of conditions JT loves best.

College cross country races are an 8k.  JT trained all summer and he was ready for the challenge.

He grabbed a stick and got after it.

He finished 38th in a field of 100 with a time of 30:06.  The team placed 5th out of 9 teams in the contest.  It’s a solid first outing.

Perhaps most important, he gave me a hug afterward and announced it was the most fun he’d ever had in a race.  So we’ve found his brand of joy in his college and I am most pleased about that.  Classes start on Tuesday, meaning he’ll now be a student as well as an athlete.  It’s been a happy to start to his first year of college and I am so very grateful for these blessings.