The hours leading up to the Atlantic Sun Conference indoor track meet weren’t the best for Lipscomb sprinter Grant Mason.
A case of severe tonsillitis pushed the freshman’s temperature to 102 degrees. His arms and legs ached and he was tired due the lack of sleep. Feeling his worst, the Center Grove graduate still managed to put forth his best.
Mason’s fastest times of the season in the 60- and 200-meter dashes — 6.9 and 21.91 seconds, respectively — came on that February day inside Liberty University’s indoor track complex in Lynchburg, Virginia.
“Nothing was going to stop me,” Mason said. “It was conference, and I was running no matter what. I didn’t care if I was sick or not.”
Mason’s health issues caused him to miss the remainder of the Bison indoor track season. Prescribed antibiotics to cure the tonsillitis, Mason is working is way back to full strength.
The process started March 16 with Mason competing in the 200 at the Rhodes Invitational in Memphis, the outdoor opener for the Bison. He ran a 22.4, which has Lipscomb assistant coach Marcus Evans excited about what’s ahead.
“Grant did OK (at Rhodes) but is still kind of recovering from being sick,” said Evans, who coaches sprinters for the Lipscomb men and women. “We know he’s in good shape, and I think he’s going to wildly surpass what he did indoors.
“I felt Grant had a ton of potential coming out of high school. What’s surprised me is he’s a gamer. You can’t really teach that.”
On the day of indoor conference meet, Evans conferred with Mason, who made it very clear he didn’t want to pull out of his events. Once the Lipscomb trainer verified Mason could compete, Evans became a most intrigued spectator.
“We ran him and he finished with two PRs,” Evans said with a laugh.
Mason’s parents, Carl and Tawnya, drove nine hours to Lynchburg for the meet. Upon seeing their son, their expectations were immediately lowered in terms of the upcoming races.
“When we got there, he did not look good,” Carl said. “I could just tell Grant wasn’t himself, but he was determined. I was shocked at how he ran.”
Mason, who is majoring in business marketing, understands the importance of the remainder of the meets on Lipscomb’s regular-season schedule.
He wants to be at his best for the Atlantic Sun outdoor meet May 11 in Jacksonville, Florida.
“Conference is the biggest thing for me. I want to place in the top three in the 100, 200 and 4×100,” Mason said. “I set those goals before the season started, and I’m not changing them now.”
Evans, who believes the freshman is capable of clocking a 200 time of 21.5 or faster before the season is over, knows not to doubt him.
