This week at Rose café I heard Paul Wilcox talk about his experience in the transatlantic series a competitive track association. In this association, the Ivy league schools battle Oxford and Cambridge in a series of track and field competitions. The series was founded in 1894, and still exists today. Wilcox talked about his involvement as a runner in his youth, and as a manager now. Back in his day he was a hurdler, who single-handedly challenged some of Cornell’s best hurdlers. Although one might imagine that this series breeds ferocious competition between the world’s most elite schools, Wilcox assured us that the transatlantic series brings its fair share of enlightening and enjoyable experiences to the English runners. He assured us that it’s a pleasure for his athletes to travel to the United States to compete (even if that means they experience a little culture shock).

While I personally don’t know much about track and field, besides the fact that people run, throw things, and jump over things, I was happy to hear his talk. Additionally, I was delighted that I got the chance to meet some of the athletes. I met a young woman named Annabelle who told me she was a high jumper and veterinary student. Immediately I realized how hard it must be for these athletes to travel, work, and compete. I have great respect for student-athletes like Annabelle, and I hope to meet more people like her in the future. In general, this talk was a success, for it forced me to exit the bubble that is my Cornell life and imagine what it’s like to walk, or in this case, to run, in someone else’s shoes.