READ NEXT: Senior Sendoff: Matthew Singletary
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For this week's MileSplit Mississippi senior sendoff, we are sending off Saltillo High School's No. 1 distance runner, J.J. Lincoln! He is heading to the University of Tennessee Southern at Pulaski in the Fall.
The senior from Saltillo used his last year in high school to make a statement, making drastic jumps in the 2021 cross country season and using his experience as an 800m runner to form a big PR in the 1600m.
His 5k time of 18:06 from the 2020 season dropped all the way to 16:21 in 2021, which was run at the 2021 Pontotoc XC Invitational.
He didn't drop the ball after cross country either. Lincoln took it on himself to try a new event that maximized his chances of success in the 1600m, ending up with a 4:35 PR at the 2022 MHSAA 5A State Championships to take 5th place in a highly competitive field.
Lincoln finishing the historic 2022 MHSAA 5A State Championship 1600m in 4:35
All in all, Lincoln totals two cross country State Championship appearances, as well as two outdoor track showings.
Lincoln is poised for success at the University of Tennessee Southern at Pulaski. The university is in the NAIA and competes in the Mid-South Conference.
He is expected to go in and make an immediate impact on the Cross team. The Firehawks made an impressive 7th place finish at the conference championships with only five competitors on the roster. Lincoln will be heading there to begin the building process of improving his university.
On the side of academics, Lincoln will be majoring in sports medicine, a career that focuses on treating physically active patients, from youth to professional athletes.
We asked Lincoln some questions and insight in regards to his high school career, what he loves about running, and some advice that he would leave behind to all of the track and field athletes that are still on their journey.
Check them out below!
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Q: Explain your 'running journey'... (How did you get into running, how did your senior season go, and how did you get connected with the college that you are going to?)
A: Running for me was an undiscovered activity that I had a passion for ever since I was just a little kid. No matter what we were doing, I wanted to run and participate in activities that involved running. One day at the end of my 8th-grade year, my coach came to talk to us at the middle school and for some weird reason, I took a form home for tryouts. As for my senior season, I started off my very first 5k as a freshman well over 22 minutes and finished my senior season with a goal PR well under 17 minutes. Just the fact I get to say that is an honor, something little freshmen I would have never thought was possible. But I think when you set aside time every day to discipline yourself and tell yourself, "I want to get better", there is just something different about that type of motivation that will make you work and push like never before. And so finally came the decision back after cross season in the winter. I was very fortunate and blessed to have several schools look at me, but UTSouthern just felt like home. Coach Watson and me each had a vision that ended up being scarily close, and now I'm blessed to say coming into a newer program I'm being looked at as a leader already for my new team. I'm definitely excited to become a Firehawk!
Q: What is your most memorable meet/race and why?
A: The most memorable race for me was my very first race at the Tupelo meet freshmen year. I remember during that race I told myself the next week I was going to quit. Obviously, I did not let that happen nor did my family ahaha but it felt very painful and I remember not being able to hardly move for a couple of days. Looking back now, it was a great introduction to the sport though. Because running is never easy and you eventually just find a way to mute out the pain and push through for as long as you can. Back then I think I was just trying to finish. So that one will always be the most memorable for me.
Q: Out of all your high school achievements, which one means the most to you and why?
A: I know a lot of people say don't be cliche and I don't mean to be in the best way possible. But honestly, awards are great and recognition is a blessing but nothing has ever meant more to me than getting to share the biggest stage with my teammates. It was such an honor getting to watch my younger Saltillo crew grow and develop over the past season and I'm excited to see what they are capable of doing in the years to come. And I'm thankful that even though they aren't my teammates anymore, they are still my younger brothers, and getting to run and share the ride with them this year was definitely the biggest achievement I've ever earned.
Q: If you could go back and do it all over again, what would you change, if anything?
A: If we're being honest I would not have changed anything, but if I was forced to change something, it would've been to pick up the training earlier on in my career. That or run JV or both most definitely.
Q: Who is somebody that you look up to/someone that helped you along your journey to get you where you are today?
A: My high school coach, Coach Covington. He definitely helped me to get to where I am at today and he is a big reason for the success I have had over the years. But even beyond running, just in life, he was always there to help me and I've always looked up to him like a second father of mine.
Q: What will you miss the most?
A: Transitioning from high school to college is never easy, and in running I know it won't be any easier. One of the things I will miss more than anything is my family getting to be there at every meet. My family has been everything to me and I know a lot of people give credit to those outside of the home, but the people at home are what keep me going on a daily basis. I'm so thankful for their love and support of me doing this crazy but fun sport. The fact that at least one of my parents was at every high school meet is a blessing and I will most certainly miss that in college. Who knows though may have to just go with FaceTime ahaha.
Q: What piece of advice would you give to the younger athletes that are just getting started on their journey?
A: I would say no matter what it's going to suck. So embrace it, every minute of it because there will come a day when it will hit you that you ran your last race. And it's all about finding ways for it to suck less, so just enjoy it and most importantly just run every race like it is your last because you never know when it might be.