I didn't like a lot of the characters at the beginning but they all grow throughout the series into real people. It was a great read but its also sad all the way through. I would recommend the read as its a pretty good romance story without too much unneeded drama.
The focus on track and field being entwined into the plot was nice compared to Suzuka which focused vastly more on the romance drama. It goes into depth about the mindset needed for competitive track while the MC struggles with his own life problems, which serves to drive the theme of Loneliness throughout the series.