By John Mackey
As a Mansfield athlete, Jadelynn Wood was known for giving her teammates pep talks before big races. She began giving those motivational speeches early in her high school cross country career as a means to uplift running companions. Results were increasingly inspired. As a result, she continued the habit into succeeding track seasons which led to a continual stream of encouraging words throughout the remainder of her time as a Lady Tiger.
Nowadays, Wood competes as the lone member of the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Lady Buck’s track team. A small recruiting class from the UARM cross country team failed to carry over to the 2024 junior college track season. That doesn’t mean the pep talks have stopped for the former Mansfield Lady Tiger. The college freshman has found if nothing else a few words of encouragement to herself can also go a long way.
On Saturday, March 16 at the University of Central Arkansas hosted Richard Martin Invitational, Wood calmed her own nerves to set a personal record in the women’s 800m run.
“I was really scared for this meet because basically everyone in my heat was from Arkansas Tech,” expressed a visibly excited Wood. “I knew I couldn’t get in my own head. I gave myself mini pep talks while I warmed up and just tried to calm down.”
The magic that Wood typically used on teammates seemed to work on herself. The junior college freshman exceeded her own expectations to produce a new personal standard for the two lap race at 2:34.20. Her new watershed moment shattered the time she ran at the Hendrix Invitational two weeks earlier by 17.64 seconds.
“When I got on the track, I knew it was Go time,” continued the first year college athlete. “I couldn’t be nervous anymore. When the gun went off, so did I. All I was worried about was keeping someone behind me.”
Wood finished sixth in section one of the two heat races. Overall that placed her 11th in the final standings at the UCA hosted event in Conway, Arkansas. Compared to a 27th place finish at the cross town race at Hendrix College, the improved result had to be pleasing for the Lady Buck runner.
“It felt good, no doubt, but it was exhausting,” confessed Wood. “I’m proud of the results.”
By her own admission, the former All-State athlete and state heptathlete endured some extra nerves going into the race. Classes on the UA Rich Mountain campus in Mena were heavily involved in midterm finals the week leading up to the Martin Invitational track meet. According to the academic minded student-athlete, that added a bit of pressure to her week.
“Midterms and everything really stressed me out,” said the middle distance runner with a sigh of relief present in her voice. “I had to refocus my energies and clear my mind to a degree. It was good to let it all out on the track.”
Wood will next represent UARM at the Dan Veach Invitational at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia on March 23.
