For White County’s Jett Drouillard, running started long before he ever joined the Warriors’ cross country team. It began on the road beside his dad.
Drouillard said he has discovered a lot about himself during his first season. Drouillard said his biggest takeaway of the sport has been the mental side.
“I’m not that great at running, but I’m getting better,” Drouillard said. “Also your mentality when you’re running is a very important thing. If you basically tell yourself you’re not going to be able to do it, then you most likely won’t but if you just push through, tell yourself you’ve got this then most of the time you’ll be okay and you’ll be good.”
Drouillard said it was encouragement from lifelong friends and family that nudged him to finally join the team this season. Drouillard said one friend gave him a call over the summer which reminded him of the message of running.
“It’s just like a little bit more fun now that I’m with my friends,” Drouillard said. “It’s pretty cool to run with some of the people I know.”
Drouillard said while his first race did not go the way he hoped, it gave him the perspective he needed to improve.
“Over time, I learned how to pace myself,” Drouillard said. “My first race I kind of just ran at like a random speed and I just tired myself out in the end and I had to walk, and then also just stamina and endurance, I’ve been getting a little bit better at that.””
Drouillard has cut down more than seven minutes on his 5000 meter time since joining the team this fall. Drouillard said he credits that progress to consistency and the willingness to keep pushing.
“For me, [the difference] has been running,” Drouillard said. “Running until you can’t anymore.”
Drouillard said he continues to run every chance he gets, running six out of seven days every week. Drouillard will conclude his final regular season at the Sergeant York Invitational on Tuesday.