Personal Narrative: La Necia Race

I go to the grass by where we will line up for the race and I put my spikes on. Making sure every spike is tight; I double knot the laces and stand up. Now my stomach really hurts. The nerves of a runner before a race are one of the worst things to handle. The announcer puts me in line and I take a deep breath once it’s my time to go up to the blocks. I set up my blocks for my standards and take off my sweats. The breeze hits my thighs as my tank top flows from side to side. The sun wishes me good luck just before I start my race. I slightly shake as the announcer tells us, “Runners to your mark!” and I get down. Shaking more vigorously now, my heart is pounding in my chest. It seems like hours waiting for him to yell, “Get set!” “Go!” but once he does I know it’s go time. I push off my blocks, and I run as fast as I can. I can feel my legs moving together in motion as the balls of my feet dig into the track. My spikes are doing their job in helping me grip to the surface as I make my way to the finish line. Neck and neck with the girl next to me I hope she gets winded out near the end and slows down so I can just scarcely make it past her. I feel like I am running as fast as a horse. Crossing that finish line and coming to a slow stop, I breathe heavily as I exhale in relief of being over. I did it, I’m done… and I did well. My legs raw, I get off the track. (AB) Some fellow sprinters congratulate me as I do the same to them. That is what’s nice about track, it seems like most of the people are very friendly. They have no problem congratulating you or talking to you about how nervous they are before a race. We know we are all in the same boat and all we want is to succeed. Every blue moon a distance runner will congratulate a sprinter but I don’t think it has ever happened to me. I don’t know if they are just caught up in their own world or if they are just being stingy about the whole

I had a personal connection with this passage as I am a runner myself. The feeling of jumping out of the blocks is adrenaline charged. It is exhilarating and nerve-wracking at the same time. To getting to the last corner, the last 50 meters, is where it’s so painful you just want to quit. You want to stop. But you continue to push yourself until you get over the finish line. As you get over the finish line and congratulate your opponents, you want to do it all over again. To have your leg and passion taken away from you is something I would never want. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone because it takes away so much, just like it did for Jessica.

“Final call girl’s four by eight-hundred-meter relay” called the official. The Ontario Track girl’s four by eight-meter team trooped up to lane one, in unison. I would not have wanted to be racing with anyone else but my relay family. We had trained all season for this one race. Every workout, asthma attack, tear, and shin splint has lead up to this one race to break a twenty year old school record. As we jogged with the official from the bullpen to the starting line, the crowd had uproars of excitement for the athletes. An immense smile grew across my face, not only from the ecstatic crowd, but from the anticipation to race. I approached the starting line, in the first lane, while my teammates arrayed along the fence with the other second,

The highs and lows of competition have constructed in me into an entirely new athlete. My first year of track and field and I made it to Far East by qualifying in the 4x800 relay. I guess you could call it beginner's luck. I would call it dedication and confidence. After almost a week of running and jumping events, the time has come to announce the winners of the banners. With the awkward silence sitting and waiting for the results to be told along with the rest of the crowd, the announcer finally broke the silence. “The D2 Girls Track Champions of 2015 is Zama American High.” This one night as emotional as an groom seeing his bride walk down the aisle knowing that she is all his. Have you ever wanted to take a moment and breathe in the air of accomplishing your

My throat was parched instantly. Knowing that I had to stay with Shelby. Repetitively telling myself that I could do it, I have to. Once I arrived at the mile mark before I knew it. I was searching all over but I could not see Shelby. Second guessing that she was ahead of me, I worked even harder. The wind was strong and the air was dirty. For a minute I was thinking that I could not do it; however, I changed that thought quickly after I saw the finish line. Pushing the hardest I had ever pushed. Noticing that I had made it, I placed 81st in

The day had arrived; it was June 6th, 2015. My four by one hundred relay team, which consisted of Anna Neeser, Lexy Kubasch, Maddie Smith, and myself, had just finished warming up and checking in for our race. Our stomachs were filled with nerves as this was the MSHSL State Track Meet that every runner dreams of participating in. Our dreams had finally come true, and to have such a wonderful coach guide us along the way was a true gift.

Taylor being a newer runner she was towards the back, With her teammates cheering loudly she finished. Her time wasn't that bad for being a newer runner she completed that race with a 27:42. Or so she thought that was a good time until her teammates were telling her the times that they got. That day she decided to keep practicing to become a better runner as well as a better participating member on her team .After a few more races she grew sad because she hasn't gotten a personal record, until later the season she came to one of her races where she got a 26:10 to others it may just seem like one minute less but to a runner it is a big accomplishment. She was super happy and proud of her accomplishment, being towards the end of the cross country season. She concludes at the end of her season saying that she had worked hard and pushed it to become her best. Next year she hopes to get in the lower 20's for her times. She can only accomplish her goal with pushing even harder, becoming the best of her ability. Despise her injury this season she hopes to be better than she was this year, she just needs to practice and work even harder than she was this year and keep

“Okay, girls before we run this race I just wanted to say; I wouldn’t want to race with no other team, but this team. I’m proud to be a Titan! Now let’s go out there and show them what these titans are made of!” Maddie did always have a way with words: I was sad to see her go this year, but I know she had greatness up ahead. As the girls and I got back to the start line we heard the announcement for the being of the race. I began: stretching, jogging and mentally preparing

“Good Job keep going, you can do it, run run faster, you got this!” These were the words coming from the audience as I was finishing my last 100 meters in the cold, pouring, rain during sectionals. I was in second place in my heat and my heart was thumping and I couldn't see through the water stains on my glasses, but I heard someone someone breathing hard and their spikes hitting the track as they ran behind me and I knew I had to push even harder.I remembered the rough trading I had in practice and knew I could do it.

We were out for vengeance, and as the first heat came to a close, the three remaining teams lined up. Our team was Brandon Reid starting off the blocks, Isaiah running the second leg, me securing the third, and Bawa trying to end the race in strong fashion. As I loosened my legs up, the gun sounded, and I watched Brandon get off to a quick start. Before I knew it, Isaiah was 10m behind me and was ready to pass the baton. As I grabbed the baton from Isaiah, I noticed I was a few meters behind a kid from Avon. Never, ever again I thought. My legs planted and exploded off the ground in a simultaneous motion. I was like a cheetah chasing after a gazelle. As the wind blew through my cleanly cut hair, I began to close the gap between myself and the man ahead. In the closing 20m, I tried my hardest to catch the Avon kid, but I couldn’t. As I passed the baton to Bawa, my heart sank. As my chin dipped to my chest so I could only notice the ground, I realized I did not run the fastest 100m. At the end of the race, we finished second behind Avon, again. My arms tensed and my stomach dropped. Losing to Avon was the worst possible ending to my track season. However, my head would be picked up by a more important event that followed days after the Founders League Tournament.

Suddenly, with no warning, two runners of the grade below me pulled ahead. I couldn’t believe it! They were a year younger than me, yet they were faster. However, I knew I wouldn’t be able to catch up even at my best. As I neared the 100 meter line, I started to convert into a jogging pace and got my bearings. I allowed myself to breathe again and relax but still trying to run my best. I was in 3rd place with the two kids in front of me about 50 meters away. I cleared my mind and just concentrated on breathing; taking a deep breath in through my nose, and letting it all out of my mouth. I was starting to feel the fatigue in my muscles and my legs are crying for rest, but I refused. I started hearing heavy breathing noises and loud footsteps behind me, steadily catching up. I risked a peek to my left and was horrified and yet surprised that my chubby classmate was right on my heels. I was not going to be beaten again and into 4th place. I pushed myself harder and pumped my legs and arms with renewed energy. All my blood rushed to my head and I felt like a locomotive cutting through the cold air. As we ran around the bend, we were head to head and trying to outdo each other. He

Bonnie Richardson is the track and field athlete from Texas. When she was in high school, she accomplished the great thing that no one had never done. There was a state team championship of Texas, and she led her team win. In fact, she didn’t have her teammates; she was the only qualified person in her school, for the competition. She got five medals in 100 meters, 200 meters, discus, high jump and long jump. Her results deserved the winner, and that means she made her school win by all herself. People were surprised by her accomplishment in 2008. Next year, in same championship, she got 4 medals and a 4th place. Even though her condition was not good, she let the school win again. In her school, they didn’t have enough equipment to train,

After many days of practicing her breathing, and keeping her knee’s strong it was time for the May Day track meet. As all

All the time and hard work spent had to pay off for something. I was also determined to beat my biggest rival on the team. She wouldn't hesitate to smear my face in it if she got a faster time than me. We stepped up to the 200 meter starting line and I tried to push the nervous thoughts out of my head. It felt like butterflies were bouncing off the walls of my stomach. We got into the start position and our coach began counting down from 5. It was only 5 seconds but it felt like an eternity. The four of us took off in unison and I could tell I was going to have to give this race everything I had. There was no way I was going to let the others defeat me. I heard the pounding of my feet against the track as I ran the curve. That's when I realized I was already in front of the rest and I began sprinting with every ounce of energy I had left. There were nearly 100 meters to the finish line and my legs were moving so fast it felt as if I was flying. I kept thinking about how much I had been working towards this and how I would not let myself down. Bolting through the finish line I could tell that was one of the best races I've ever run. My lungs felt heavy, legs aching from exhaustion and my eyes were watering from the frigid wind. As my coach was recording my time on his clipboard he revealed how many seconds faster I had been. Not only had I beaten my own personal best, but I had gotten the fastest sub varsity time.

I was completely overtaken by small, simple things: the slowly setting sun and the intricate shadows it displayed on the bleachers; the feeling of the turf under my legs and back; the scent of the grilling, concession stand hot dogs drifting by every few minutes mixed with the smell of the track; and the coaches and athletes walking around me, always with somewhere to go, people to time, splits to discuss. I just lay there soaking it all in, experiencing life anew, “so concerned with the immediate.” I felt “so childlike, so awakened” like I was rediscovering the beauty of the