For highschoolers in Track and Field, there aren’t many opportunities to compete in the off-season. But competing in the off-season is important to know where your fitness level is, and to decide what you need to work on. A competition that was hosted at the University of Washington called Mile City, was one of these few opportunities that have athletes from middle school to college compete and have fun to gauge their fitness level for the upcoming season.
At Mile City, a wide range of talented athletes compete. This sets up a unique atmosphere for the athletes to compete in because of the high bar set on the track on which many collegiate and professional athletes stepped foot on.
“The atmosphere was honestly less hype than expected… The idea I was running on a college course that professionals run on definitely got to me a little, like expectations were high,” Colton Dodge (‘26) said. “[It’s] Honestly, odd. Especially with pro and collegiate athletes there. But also there were little kids too, who were passionate about running and think that’s one of the coolest things ever.”
The wide range of athletes also bring in a community and culture that is welcoming to anyone who participates. Having participants from around the country such as Utah, California, and Texas, it shows a sense of community and inclusiveness.
“Mile City reflects the great community of track culture in which anyone, no matter their backgrounds, other interests, or age, all share a common interest in running fast. This meet, specifically, embodies this since literally anyone is allowed to sign up.” Ben Coupaud (‘25) a former cross-country and track AHS alumni said.
While for some, Mile City serves as a place to have fun and show off friendly competition. But for a select group of others, it’s a chance to push themselves, to see where their limit is before peaking during the track season.
“My race plan was to get into second and just sit there until I felt confident to make a move and finish the race… I would say that that worked pretty well,” Brenden Roehl (‘28) a varsity and state cross-country competitor said. “I feel so confident and ready for the upcoming track season… In my future races I will just approach it differently and have a different mindset. Go and just know that I’m meant to be there and can do what I want to.”
UW Mile City hosted at Dempsey Indoor Facility is a place where anybody can compete. Either for recreational runners trying to have fun and gain confidence, or runners who are trying to push themselves competitively trying to pursue opportunities in college. Running can be for anyone at any age.
“So many different ages, builds, speeds, all of them took time out of their lives to run at Dempsey and that’s super cool to me… I hope that track, cross country, and running as a whole gets more noticeable. I have always loved the environment of meets, especially the hype of track meets, and I feel like not enough people appreciate that,” Dodge said.
