Name: Anthony Keeling
nickname: Twon
School: Brookwood High School
Personal Bests
400m: 52.79
800m: 1:58.08
What was your most memorable race/competition?
I'd have to say two races come to mind as most memorable. First would be my senior year at an indoor meet in Birmingham. In the 800m I was in last place at the 400m mark, and was over 40 meters off the lead, but close the last 400m in 60 seconds and ended up wining the race. I really surprised myself that day and it gave me momentum for the rest of the season. Second would be my senior year at the Parkview twilight rumble in the jungle meet. The main reason is because it was my first time dipping under the 2 minute mark in the 800- the pinnacle of most high school 800m runners. I just remember being so satisfied and proud of myself for going so far under 2:00 my first time- I felt as though all my work had paid off.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
Probably at the Region 8-6A meet. It was a dog fight to advance to sectionals in the 800 this year and I learned so much from that race; I feel super blessed to have been able to compete in the most competitive region in the state and compete against such great guys.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment was probably when my relay team (Jordan Bullock, David Giuliano, Miles Yapp ) and I broke the 4x800m school record at the Mceachern Invite. On top of breaking our school record, we ran the 11th fastest time in GA history. We really wanted to crack the top 10 all time list but came up just short( we still finished the season as #1 in GA.)
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
If I could do it all over again I would definitely lift weights to avoid so many injuries. I would also make sure to listen to my body and be smarter about injuries in general when they come about. On top of that i would focus on getting sleep, not getting so antsy and nervous before races, and remembering to remind myself that at the end of the day it's just high school running.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
The most difficult obstacles to overcome for me were constant injuries. The summer going into my junior year I tore my left hip flexor and could not run for 13 weeks. This put me out for my entire junior XC season and prohibited me from building a good base for track. Then I struggled a lot with Achilles tendinitis during cross of my senior year. In the beginning of 2015 during the indoor season I found out I had a small tear in my meniscus which put me out for a month of my very critical senior track season. The physical therapy was mentally tough for all of the injuries;but luckily, I was able to bounce back from them for the most part.
What will you miss the most?
I think what I will miss most about high school running is being around the athletes I grew up with and competing against. Since we all made different decisions on colleges to run at, it's less likely that we will see each other as much. I will also extremely miss my studly Brookwood Broncos whom I endured so many hard workouts and put in so many miles with. They are like brothers to me and I wouldn't want to hurt or suffer with/for any other group of boys.
What advice you would give to younger athletes?
I advise younger athletes to stay focused, set goals, and never lose sight of them. There are plenty of distractions in high school, but if you are serious about running and plan on take it to the next level then you have to take care of business . Also, to not make the same mistake I did of putting too much pressure on myself before races; running is a lot more fun with a positive mindset. I would also advise them to achieve in the classroom because academics are very important! When it's time to run college it will take a lot of pressure off of you if you're eligible for academic scholarships at your particular school, and you will definitely be rewarded for your efforts in high school!
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
My coach, Kristan Moses, began coaching me when I was 13 years old and far from the fastest/ most talented athlete. He always believed in me when no one else did and saw something in me that I could never quite see in myself; he transformed me as a runner. He built me up and made me tough and the runner/man I am today. I also was able to learn a lot from my high school coach, Ben Dehnke, who was able to significantly build my aerobic base my senior year. Also, my coach Joe Carter helped a lot.
What are your college plans?
I will be competing in both Track and Cross Country at Troy University for the next 4-5 years and I could not be more excited to be a Trojan!
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I would like to give a humongous thanks to God. I would be nothing without His endless blessings and He deserves the glory for anything I have ever accomplished and have yet to accomplish. I would also like to thank my parents for buying me running clothes, shoes, and spikes, and for sitting at track meets supporting me.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I'd like to give a shout out to a group of my running friends referred to as CNTARN.
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