As seasons go by, injuries often are a familiar tale.
Most athletes come back from injury and steadily move their way up to health, chipping time away as the months go by.
Not too many face national-caliber competition immediately upon return.
But Keller Central senior Eric Casarez did just that, and he was successful.
This past weekend, the Oklahoma commit pulled double duty at the Jesuit Sheaner Relays, scoring a career-best mark in the 1600m of 4:14.31 and a quality time in the 3200m as well, going in 9:19.00
And that came just a week after the breakout race of his senior season, a fourth-place finish in the elite boys 5K division of the Texas Distance Festival, where he crossed the line in a career-best 14:38.82.
But Casarez isn't done yet. He knows he can get better.
"I've noticed after some of these meets that I have more to give, especially after how I proved last week in that 5K," he said. "I can stay with those top guys."
Returning from a stress fracture--in his left foot--that he was diagnosed with in August, Casarez was forced to miss his senior cross season.
In denial initially, he was faced with accepting the fact and move on.
"I didn't want to believe it," he said. "I was thinking it's not this bad, it's just a little tweak."
What he had worked hard on and for throughout his entire summer would be wiped down the drain.
"It's heartbreaking, but you just have to stay strong."
But it also was a blessing in some ways, because over this time he was able to focus on his impending college decision, which pitted two Big 12 schools, Texas and Oklahoma, against each other.
He ultimately chose the Sooners, saying "it fit me in the heart."
At the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays, Casarez doubled in the1600m and the 3200m and won impressively both times, looking confident and dominant over large stretches.
He was just a second off of his PR in the 3200m, but in the 1600m he totally blew away his best and ran away for a time of 4:14.31, six-second personal best.
Just a day earlier, he had pitched maybe a time of 4:18. His goal was to break 4:15 at some point.
"Just progress," he said is what he wanted from the distance.
