“Being part of a legacy program has proven to be a lifetime gift of friendships”, said Robert Renouard, Class of ’75, when looking back about the impact that both the cross country and track and field programs at Seattle Prep had on his life.
Renouard began his journey at Seattle Prep later than most, transferring from Rainier Beach at the beginning of his junior year. But he had been running for many years, following in the footsteps of his older brother and father. Even before high school Renouard was a force to be reckoned with, as in eight grade he ran an incredible mile time, clocking in at 4:50:2. So it was no question for him to join Prep’s running programs to continue his already remarkable running career. From the moment he joined the team he felt incredibly welcomed and described the team culture as having “this sense of belonging, of believing, of supporting each other”.
Joining the team after a very successful season of winning the 1972 State Championship proved to be the push Renouard needed, placing him amongst the greatest athletes in the state. This incredibly talented team had many proud moments, but Renouard reminisced on one in particular which took place during his first year at Prep during a race, “When without intention to do so, I and three of my teammates were suddenly shoulder to shoulder at 80 yards from the finish line, all running our fastest and crossing the finish line together”. This is just one moment which demonstrates the close-knit relationship of the team, and how Renouard was gifted with a lifetime of friendships, as no one can understand the pain and effort a runner goes through like a teammate is able too.
Looking back on his time running at Prep, Renouard points to the biggest changes in the sport: advances in technology and apparel, more sophisticated training methods, expanded postseason regional and national competitions, and detailed record-keeping through sites like Athletic.net. While much has evolved since his days on the team, Renouard says he remains “very proud to still feel a part of the program” as an alumnus, crediting the current coach’s dedication to honoring its history.
Renouard carried the lessons he learned in Prep’s athletic programs to the University of Washington, where he recorded a personal best of 13:56 in the 3-mile.
Even after his collegiate running career, Renouard continued to make running part of his daily life, competing as a Masters athlete at age 44 and recording a time of 4:54 in the mile. While he runs less today, he emphasizes the importance of remaining an athlete in whatever ways are possible after a competitive athletic career comes to an end. As he puts it, “Anyone, any age can be an athlete.”
Drawing on everything he learned during his time at Prep and throughout his running career, Renouard offers his biggest piece of advice to rising athletes: “Be consistent and just go out and do it without questioning yourself, knowing you will almost never regret it.”
