Javelin a tranquil exercise for University senior Nolen

There is a place some folks go that is just their place or a thing they do that is just their thing.

It’s an inner peace. Zen to some.

For Wes Nolen, tranquility comes from the javelin.

“It’s so relaxing. You forget about everything,” the University senior said. “You’re there. It’s just you. No other worries. Whatever you can do, you do. I really can’t explain it. There are no words.

“It’s just, I don’t know, it’s like that, you just let it all go.”

It’s easy to see how Nolen discovered that place and then came to revere it.

In the midst of family turmoil as a freshman and sophomore, Nolen escaped to track and field.

“It was an emotional roller coaster,” he said. “I had a lot of support from family and friends. Track helped keep my mind off of it. Track is a good stress release. When I pick up the javelin, everything goes away. It’s just me and the runway. It’s good.”

Toward the end of his sophomore year at the district meet, everything about the technically precise event came together and he had a winning throw of 187 feet, 6 inches, a 15-foot personal record.

The next week came the definitive throw of his career under less than ideal conditions at a rain-delayed regional in Richland. Sitting one spot out of a state berth with one throw remaining and a wet runway, Nolen came up with a toss of 182-9.

State proved to be a piece of cake. With an opening throw just beyond 150 and a second throw of 190-7 the unsung sophomore became a state champion.

“It just kind of happened,” Nolen said of the whirlwind three weeks.

He picked up where he left off last year, uncorking a state-leading throw of 195-3 at the third meet of the season.

Unfortunately, he also partially tore a ligament in his elbow and his season was over.

“I remember sitting on a bench behind the runway in Pasco and 191 won it,” he said. “Two weeks before that I threw 195. I felt totally helpless.”

But he followed the doctor’s orders.

“I didn’t pick up a football, baseball, anything to throw, for six months,” he said.

Maybe it helped that the 5-foot-11, 187-pounder considers paintballing his second sport.

“I never really tried anything else,” he said. “I won’t say I’m lazy, but I was unmotivated to do other sports.”

Nolen started this season a little tentative but last week cut loose.

In a matchup with Mead’s Justin Graff, who has the No. 2 throw in the state, Nolen came out on top by 2 feet, his throw of 189 feet his best of the season.

On Saturday, Lewis and Clark’s Joe Zimmerman, the state leader, joined the fray at the Pasco Invitational. Nolen jumped from third to first on the first throw of finals. Zimmerman won it on the last throw of the meet.

The trio forms a mutual admiration society.

“It’s fun to have competition,” Nolen said. “It’s not relaxed at meets anymore. … It was usually go and throw and win, go off to your other events. I like it a lot more. There is a lot more drive but it’s good pressure, not stressful pressure. It’s the kind that makes you PR. They’re good guys.”

Postseason follows a familiar path – district at SFCC (May 8-9), regional at Richland (May 16-17) and state at Pasco (May 23-24).

By then Nolen should be ready.

“I’m still a little iffy,” he said, pegging his arm at about 80 percent. “If I keep working on my form, emphasizing technical stuff, eventually it will roll around to where I am 100 percent. I hope to break 200 soon. I think my arm can handle it as long as I keep my form sound.”

Nolen wants to be a mechanical engineer and has been accepted at Washington State, but he will let the javelin dictate his near future. He has received several letters from colleges, but no scholarship offers.