Caroline Barlow had big plans for her senior season on the track. After finishing second at the 3A Cross Country Finals. Barlow came into 2014 eyeing a 3200m state title, an event she was third in at the state meet. Enter a stress fracture in her right tibia and all dreams ceased. Her dad and coach Paul Barlow informed flrunners.com of the season ending injury. He says with the stress fracture, she just can't train hard enough to make it out of their insanely competitive region.
"It was a tough call, but she just couldn't progress and it wasn't worth the risk to keep pushing. We were training at a very fine edge and I was really nervous."
The Gulf Coast standout and University of Alabama signee began feeling pressure in the area while walking down stairs but decided to ignore it because it didn't seem like a big deal.
A couple weeks later while doing drills the pain persisted. It started hurting more and she says it was time to speak up.
"It turned out to be a stress fracture, which meant several weeks off. After attempting to run about five races and having no improvement on pain, we decided it just isn't worth the risk and will be cutting my senior season short. "
When Barlow toed the line, it didn't feel the same, the races weren't the same, and it wasn't like track seasons in the past. She calls the injury a let down after having such a good off season, but knows that being an elite distance runner you're always on the line of breaking records and injuries.
"It is hard to know how much is too much and just one little step over the line can lead to weeks off. That being said there is nothing I wouldn't do to have the chance to be racing again. Running is something I truly love doing, so missing out on a season, especially my last high school season, has definitely caused a few tears! It’s something I will never get back but, it will be worth it next fall!"
Next fall will be headed to Tuscaloosa where she will join one of her good friends Emily Edwards and former Florida standouts Kaitlyn Greenleaf and Olivia Ortiz. In the meantime, she isn't throwing in the towel. Barlow will be "co-coaching" so to speak right along side her father and cheering on her teammates. She says that even though she is injured she loves the sport of track and field and watching meets.
Barlow and her teammates have had the pleasure of learning and gaining valuable advice from 2012 Olympian Sarah Wells. Wells, who made the semifinals in the 400m hurdles for Canada comes down to the area two to three times a year to train and always takes the time to talk with their team. Barlow has taken the chance to talk to Wells and listen to her incredible stories about overcoming injuries.
Wells suffered a stress fracture in her femur just months before the Olympic Trials, making her an inspiration to Barlow during these tough times."One thing Sarah said that really stuck to me was that you have to learn to believe in yourself, no matter what obstacles you face, before others will believe in you. Also, she shared with us some advice on success, saying that you have to think of things as choices, not sacrifices. I think all athletes can agree that they have missed out on something because of their sport, so it is important to remember how much better achieving your goal will feel than whatever it is that you missed. She has become such an inspiration to me and the rest of my team and I can’t thank her enough for that!"
The senior says if there is one thing that she has learned throughout this experience is that this isn't the end, just the end of a chapter.
"I have learned that you have to listen to your body, no matter how insignificant and issue seems to be at the time. I know that as much as I feel like I am giving up right now, that trying to keep going and hurting myself further would be ten times worse! I really hope to have an immediate impact on the team this fall and to do that I need to get healthy first. Overcoming setbacks make success so much sweeter."
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