PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There’s one group of athletes for whom this final day of the Penn Relays is bittersweet. For many graduating college seniors, it will be one of the last big races of their running careers.
“I run the 200, 400, both relays,” said Nathan Kent, who has been running since he was little. Both his parents were runners, but he got serious about it in high school and was able to juggle track and football, even as he entered the United States Naval Academy.
“The opportunity to run track collegiately and play football collegiately, that’s something you can’t pass up, especially when it means free tuition,” he said.
In his four years at the academy, the relays have become one of his favorite events.
“Penn Relays is a meet that we always have circled on the calendar. It’s great to see all of the high schoolers, all of the colleges that come all the way out here to continue the legacy of this meet, and that’s what makes it so great. It’s just special every time I come here,” Kent said.
This will be his last trip here. A few of the soon-to-be graduates at the meet may get shoe contracts, join Olympic training teams and keep competing at a high level, perhaps even returning to Penn Relays. But for most, they’ll run for fun and fitness from now on, like Kent.
When he graduates, he starts his service with the Navy, which he’s looking forward to.
“You spend four years getting ready to do a job, you get pretty excited about going to do that job.”
But he also said he’s trying to drink in these last few races.
“What a joy, and how fortunate am I to be here and really just trying to enjoy the moment for what it is.”
