Taylor FloydMews exudes a constant sense of calm, on and off the cross country field.
FloydMews is headed to the state cross country tournament on Saturday, November 2nd. He will run a five kilometer (about 3 mile) race. This will be his third year competing at the state level. In 2012, he placed 11th, but this year, he hopes to win even bigger.
“It’s really exciting for me, I guess,” said FloydMews. “It’s my last year, last time to end with a bang.”
Though he hopes to compete to a high degree of success Saturday, FloydMews knows that the competition is about performing to the best of one’s own ability.
“I just want to end the best that I can,” FloydMews said about this final chance at state.
Head coach Michael Vann said that he thinks FloydMews has a shot at winning first.
“He’s had a great season. He’s continued to improve over his four year career.” Vann said.
FloydMews says that he has been doing many additional things to help him with his running.
“My dad, he’s really into my running now, and he talks about it all the time,” said FloydMews. “He helps me out with figuring out what I should do on the side, besides just running, like eating well and going to bed on time.”
FloydMews will have support from the stands from his friends and family. Tosa West junior Alec Kirtley will be accompanying FloydMews to help FloydMews warm up.
“It will help just for him to have someone to run with,” said Kirtley. “It’s to try to keep his schedule as normal as possible even though he’s about to be in the biggest race of the year.”
According to FloydMews, family and friends also support him using playful threats.
“[Playful threats] do help me, because I don’t want to disappoint,” said FloydMews.
In addition to support from his friends and family, FloydMews has other ways to help himself perform well.
“I try to relax, I don’t try and get too intense before a race,” said FloydMews. “I relax to the point where I might be yawning before a race.”
“People point that out and are like, ‘you look tired.’”
Kirtley noticed FloydMews’ maintained his relaxation even during the race.
“He always seems very relaxed while he’s running,” said Kirtley. “Some guys seems kind of like tense or like stressed while they are running, but he always seems very like calm and relaxed like he enjoys what he’s doing.” .
He may be calm, though the pain is still prominent from the lack of oxygen and the sore muscles. He thinks of funny things so that he will laugh, and not focus on all the pain.
Though he likes to stay calm before a race, he doesn’t shy away from one pre-run ritual to get himself pumped up. It actually has a contrasting effect to keeping him calm he said.
“My favorite type of music to listen to before a race is dubstep,” said FloydMews. “Dubstep is really intense, and it pumps me up. ” FloydMews shared that one of the songs he likes is Louder by DJ Fresh.
It may be that FloydMews attitude has helped motivate other members of the cross country team.
“He’s pretty motivating,” said Kirtley. “If you’re willing to come to practice and run, he’ll help motivate you.”
Not only is FloydMews a motivating player to his teammates, but he also he helps draw attention to the program.
“He’s one of the reasons the program has grown in numbers,” says Vann.
In turn, FloydMews attributed much of his personal success to his friend and fellow runner, Patrick Campbell, who graduated in the class of 2013.
“With the help from Patrick Campbell, who was a teammate at the time … I was able to perform to the best of my ability,” said FloydMews. “If I didn’t have him I probably wouldn’t be where I am now.”
FloydMews will miss cross country. He feels that the everyday running is a great stress relief. It clears your head. He hopes to He leaves with the inspirational idea that the pain has all been worth it.
