MHS’s Male Athlete of the Week: Jonathan Campbell
Chronicle Staff | November 20, 2009
By Emma Lovett
Jonathan Campbell has been named Athlete of the Week and, in my opinion, it’s a fitting choice. Jonathan is a part of the Cross-Country team in the fall and also runs on the Track team in the winter and spring. He has been running for five years and usually runs the longer distances for Cross-Country and does long-distance workouts when practicing. When it comes to up-and-coming Cross-Country meets, he is most excited about seeing friends from other schools. He says that “Cross-Country and Track meets can be wonderful social events. It all depends on what you make of them.” When competing he always tries to be friendly to all his competitors and to not take himself extremely seriously.
When asked what he enjoys about the sport, he answered “Both Track and Cross-Country are like no other mainstream sports. I love the fact that the sports help me deal with stress, pressure, as well as keep me in shape both physically and mentally. They are, for the most part, fun because as difficult as running can be, it is also so simple. I find that simplicity exhilarating.” He also talked about his team and how great they are to work with.
I know that a basketball team works together by passing the ball, as does a soccer team. What I wasn’t entirely sure about, however, was how a Track or Cross-Country team works together. Jonathan told me that being supportive of each other is the main way they work together. Also, helping with training whenever possible helps too. When I asked Jonathan how much practice is required, he answered, “A LOT! More than most people would think.” He also practices on his own, outside of school, something he feels is very important, because “sometimes the team training isn’t adequate enough to provide solely for the individual needs of each member of the team.”
I also decided to ask Jonathan about something called “runner’s high;” a supposedly peaceful and happy state-of-mind which is said to occur when strenuous exercise activates endorphin production in the brain. I wanted to know if he ever experienced it, or if it is just a myth. He replied that “Runner’s high is real. Basically, when your body has been running for so long, your body transitions into a weird state of euphoria where you start to forget pain and exhaustion. You start to feel relaxed and actually happy.” He also told me about a term called “Runner’s Heaven.” He only experienced it one time, but he lost feeling in his legs while he was running, and was then able to sprint 400 meters quickly without feeling tired or out of breath. After the sprint though, he said “I felt terrible.”
Jonathan doesn’t play any other sports, but is a fan of soccer and basketball. When it comes to other activities he participates in, he said “there’s too many to count.” With all those activities he involves himself in, I was really curious as to how he manages to balance homework and other responsibilities with running. Jonathan says he finds it difficult at times to manage all of that, but he says you need to learn to discipline yourself and it can be tough. “It all pays off in the end,” said Campbell.
I wanted to make sure I asked him about his plans for the future and how he feels about moving on from Millbrook. He definitely wants to attend college, and his top two choices are University of Notre Dame and Northeastern University. He wants to major in Music Management and Marketing or Pre-Law. “Millbrook will always be my hometown, and I will miss everyone, but I’m ready to move on. I’m sure college will be a fun new experience.”
Lastly, I wanted to know if he was still planning on continuing running on a team when he heads off to college. He doesn’t really plan on running on a competitive team, but he definitely will keep in the habit of running. I really appreciate him answering my questions and I wish only the best for this talented and interesting person.
Tags: athlete of the week, Campbell
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