I was stretching for the big run when I saw my coach flash a smile at me from a distance. The bright sun made his smile brighter yet it brought unease to my mind. I looked at the crowd sitting on the wall-like bleachers, only to see their expectant faces that seemed to go on for miles. After weeks—no, months of training—the race was finally here. I knew I was ready for this but was I really ready?

“Runners, if you could please get into your starting positions.”

“You’ll be okay, kiddo.” said my coach while he patted my back.

Once I crouched down on that track, I realized that everything was larger than I expected: the crowd, the lanes, and the runners. “On your mark...get set...GO!” The gun along with me blasted off and I ran and I ran and I ran, passing all the other runners, not even looking back with my heartbeat intensifying like a drum and my breath becoming heavier. The track below me blurred out and I felt a surge of adrenaline within me, surrendering myself to the miraculous beat of my feet against the ground. The angry …show more content…
In the grip of silent panic my heart was racing, my brain was on fire like there was a cluster bomb exploding in my brain melting it into a mental soup of desperation and I realized that he was ahead of everyone in a sweating frenzy. Here I was, in last place, with my legs almost giving out to my inevitable defeat, and I could see the back of #1 crossing the finishing line with the crowd going wild. It was not supposed to be like this—it was supposed to end with me passing that finish line, holding up that golden trophy on that stage and my coach giving me that good old pat on the back just like he always did along with a feast for all of my teammates that were watching me on the