Salute to Seniors: Meghan Teague

1. What was your most memorable race/moment? 

The most memorable race to me would have to be the 4x200 relay finals race at regionals 2016. Prior to regionals, we had one of our best girls, who was the anchor, out due to a hamstring injury. We were going in seeded fifth. We swept district and area, but we knew we would see real competition at regionals, as always. With a sub during area, we came out with a time that we had previously set as our PR several meets before. After getting second in prelims, we had a good feeling about finals. For finals we decided to put in our original anchor, expecting to break another PR. We were sitting fifth before the start of the race and came out third, with the second place team beating us by a hair. I was crushed at the fact that we didn't advance; however, after going up into the stands, my coach informed me that not only did we PR in our splits, we SHATTERED our own personal record by three seconds and also the time that we advanced to finals with. Although I was devastated at the outcome of the race, I was ecstatic to find out we broke our record again. That same weekend, after hours of searching and refreshing the website, we found out that our team not only beat out all the third place teams from our region, but we even beat out some of the first place teams, landing us a spot as the wildcard at the UIL State 3A Track and Field Meet.

2. Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?

Myself.

3. What was your greatest accomplishment?

Advancing to the state meet.

4. If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your running career in high school?

I would definitely work harder in practice. Practice is where you improve and I wish I 

would have given it as much as I did during meets. 

5. What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

Some of the biggest obstacles I faced were mental block and battling a couple of illnesses. I got sick a couple days before the start of the season with strep and the flu. Pre-season was going well and then I got sick and felt like I lost all I had worked for. About mid-season, I also got a stomach bug the night before we hosted our home meet and was up all night the night before because I didn't feel well. After that illness, I struggled with a mental block. Every meet after that I just couldn't get back to the way I was before. My times weren't looking good and I felt like I was never going to be able to get past it and get back to normal. I finally broke through my mental block at the area meet, which was about 4 weeks after our home meet.

6. What will you miss the most?

My team. They were my family and I was blessed to have people surrounding me that loved this sport just as much as I do.

7. What advice would you give to younger athletes?

(1) There are going to be days you'll feel like you can't go anymore. You have to be mentally tough and believe that you can get through it--if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Remember why you are there and what you are working for.

(2) Set goals for yourself; don't be afraid to set the bar higher than you can reach. Others will doubt you; let them. Not everyone is rooting for you and that's ok. The only voice you need to be listening to is the one inside you. That voice won't always be encouraging either. Push through it and focus on what you are trying to achieve.

(3) Don't talk about your competition in public. Never let a team know that they are worth mentioning. 

(4) DON'T CHEAT YOUR WORKOUT. Just trust me.

(5) Running is not the only thing that will make you a better runner. Determination, commitment, heart, and yes, even lifting. All of this makes for a great runner.

(6) ALWAYS let your coach know if you are hurting. Immediately.

(7) Greatness doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, patience, and most of all hard work. You won't PR at every meet. If you remain dedicated and driven, you WILL see results. Never lose hope and never stop working for what you want.

(8) Most importantly, enjoy every minute. Soak it all in and have fun. It goes by much quicker than you think.

8. What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?

Regan Carriger deserves so much credit for what myself and my team have accomplished. I'm incredibly lucky to have had a coach that cared enough to sit there day after day and put in overtime to make me the best that I could be. She pushed me to the limits and put my abilities to the test. I never thanked her after a hard workout because I was too busy questioning my life and why I run, but ultimately, she made me realize why I do what I do. I love this sport so much. Coach Carriger, thank you for helping me become the athlete I am today and for encouraging me to strive for what I want and to never hold back.

9. What are your college plans?

I'll be attending UTSA in the fall. Birds Up!

10. Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?

My mom. She never missed a meet and was my strongest support system. She was there to celebrate the good times with me and there to lift me up during the bad times. She's an extraordinary woman with a heart of gold and I'm so thankful for her. Also, special S/O to Momentum Fitness. Ramon and Dusty, thanks for blessing me with your knowledge of fitness and helping me become the athlete I am. Crazy thankful for all y'all have done for me, thus far.

11. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Sushi probably isn't an ideal snack to eat before you run.

12. What was the funniest thing that happened during your track career?

Me thinking it was a good idea to run cross country freshman year.