Making It Through

“It is better to try, instead of giving up,” I told myself repeatedly as I was 200 meters away from the end of my final lap. I tucked my chin in, for more force through the wind. My strides widened, to make me go twice as farther than the distance I was at. I started to breath in and out through my nose, so I would not be as tired and dehydrated. Staring at the ground while running, yet still in focus, kept me from looking up on how much more I needed to go, was my strategy.I wanted to feel as if no one was watching, and only I, was running the 400 meters, alone. Although, I had glanced from a side view, over my shoulder. I saw how close my position would be replaced, in just a few minutes. I pumped my arms in a form of a 90 degree angle. I took deep breaths and forming my back straight, thinking I would be running a faster pace.Instead it only made me in deep sharp pain, more than I was already in, to my hamstring and my groin. Knowing! Just knowing I would not make it, I was getting to a point of dropping to the ground and just watching my opponents zoom right pass by me, like I was not competing. Like I was not an aggressive competitor, yet someone who gives up easily. I began losing faith in myself, because to me, I am what you call a, “sorry loser”. Competing under pressure, is certainly NOT my idea of winning. My heart began to race, pounding hard that you can literally see my pulse. My mind went completely blank, not knowing if I should stop or keep on going. My legs began to shake as if it were to fall off. My feet ached so I would have not completed the event. I just could not handle the thought and feeling of losing a position to place for JV Championships at Kaiser High School. Right when I heard my team yell, “Your almost there, do not let go! PUSH PUSH PUSH!,” they motivated me, pulling me straight for the end. I realized winning the event would not only be for me, but for my team. When one of us loses, we all lose. When one of us wins, we all win. But, as for me, we are all winners. In the end, the sense of pain, sweat, and a drop of tear, was the look and feeling of victory and accomplishment of placing 4th at JV Championships.