Okay, so, I set out to test my own 40-yard dash time. Kinda wanted to see how I stacked up against this running back, Dylan Edwards, from Derby. The dude’s a former Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, so he’s gotta be quick, right? They say he clocked a 4.41, which is blazing fast.
I did some digging and saw this video of some football players, including Edwards, doing these combine drills. These guys were sprinting, jumping, the whole nine yards. It got me thinking, maybe I should try to push myself a little harder. I saw some reports that Edwards had hit a 4.38 during winter strength and conditioning testing, I think with the CU Buffs. The video made it look intense, man. They were really pushing these guys. But it looked like a blast, too!
So, I set up a makeshift 40-yard track in my backyard. No fancy laser timers or anything, just me, a stopwatch, and a whole lot of nervous energy. I warmed up, did some stretches, you know, the usual. It took me back to my high school track days, except now I’m older and maybe a little slower.
- First run: I exploded out of my stance and went for it. Felt pretty good, but the stopwatch wasn’t so kind. I think I got around 5.8 or something, which is way far off from Edwards.
- Second run: Tried to focus on my form, driving my knees, pumping my arms. Shaved off a little time, but still nowhere near 4.41.
- Third run: By this point, I was gassed. My legs felt like lead, and my lungs were burning. But I gave it one last shot. I might have gotten my best time here, but it was still in the 5-second range.
Look, I’m no athlete like Edwards. I think that he is a 4.43 or better guy in the 40. I read a quote online of him saying, “I just thought about it real hard and I just felt like it was my best decision to leave Colorado and do my own thing.”
This whole thing was a humbling experience. It really put into perspective how incredibly fast these athletes are. I mean, 4.41 seconds? That’s just insane. I’ll stick to my day job, I guess. But hey, at least I gave it a shot, right? And it was a good workout, even if I didn’t break any records.
Conclusion
Trying to match Dylan Edwards’ 40 time was a fun but ultimately unsuccessful endeavor. It really highlighted the difference between a regular guy like me and a high-caliber athlete. Major respect to Edwards and all those other speed demons out there. As for me, I’ll be taking a long ice bath and maybe sticking to jogging from now on.
