Erik Sowinski loves The Armory and The Armory loves Erik Sowinski. Two indoor season’s ago, he started the Millrose Games’ 600m race as a relatively unknown athlete, but finished as an American record holder (1:15.61). Since then he’s won an indoor national title, helped break the world 4x800 record, and blazed tracks all over the world. We asked Sowinski to reflect on that Millrose Games race two years ago and this is what he had to say: 

It was a Wednesday evening and I had just had one of the best (albeit hardest) workouts of the indoor season. I got a call that a lane had opened up for the Millrose Games in the 600m, an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be recovered in time, but I did everything right and had the race of my life, ending in an American Record. It’s not necessarily the record that makes it special to me, this is the point where I finally realized I had the potential to be a professional track and field athlete and the Armory and it’s fans are what helped me do it.

photo by Victah Sailer PhotoRun