Faster Together: A Story of Respect and Rivalry

I didn’t know much about the sport of track and field until my son started competing in high school. I quickly realized it’s a sport that blends team and individual achievement—schools earn points for each event, but athletes also strive to beat their own bests, setting new PRs (Personal Records) along the way.

While winning is always exciting, improving with every race was celebrated just as much.

During my son Tommy’s high school career, a runner named Jay from a neighboring school stood out. He was incredibly fast.

Tommy and Jay faced off in the 200-meter dash, and photos show them sprinting side by side. In a race that short, a split second can make all the difference.

All season, they met at track meets, exchanged friendly smiles, and pushed themselves to the limit when the starting pistol fired.

Tommy kept setting new PR’s—and so did Jay. Their friendly rivalry drove each one to train harder and run faster.

They respected one another, appreciated the competition, and though my son never managed to beat Jay, he became stronger because of him.

And in life, that’s a win.