State (part 2)

110 of the fastest runners in Iowa 4A schools started to sprint. I tried to get out fast and stay in the front and in any other race I would have been in the very front, but I was about in the middle of everyone here. I was so scared I was going to trip and fall. I think I accidently elbowed someone. I was still freaking out, when we got to the first corner, about 400 meters into the race, and I saw my dad, my sister, and a couple of my really good friends from the cross country team. All of my nervousness just stopped and I focused on staying with the top ten runners.

We reached the 800 meter mark, then the 1 mile, then the 1.5. I realized that I was running at a pace way faster than I normally do, but I was confident. I had a chance to achieve my goal of finishing in the top ten and I wasn’t going to let my chances of achieving the goal slip right by. My place kept switching from 9Th to 11Th and I was trying so hard to stay with everyone. I kept on hearing people cheering and every time I heard the voice of one of my family members or friends, I wanted to do better. They motivated me to try harder, because I had a bunch of people out there wanting me to do well and I didn't want to let them down.

We were getting closer to the finish line and I tried to pick up my pace. This was it. This was where it counted. It was pass people or get passed so I pushed myself to pass the girls in front of me. I was in 10th or 11th when we turned the last corner and had a little less than 400 meters left. I sprinted as fast as I could, knowing that this would be my last race of the year and I didn't want to have any regrets. Around the 100 meter mark I lost my vision. Everything was just a blur and I couldn't tell that I had approached the finish line, until I heard the voices of people saying good job and move out of the way and I almost ran into one of the blurs in front of me. My vision slowly started to come back and my arms and legs started to feel a horrible ache. I tried to sit down, but someone told me to stand up and walk around. I could hardly hear over my loud breathing, but I did what they said and when I turned around a couple of my teammates had just finished. I went over to congratulate them, but I probably just sounded stupid and I couldn't even lift up my arms to give them a high five. I guess they must have known what I meant, because they said something back, which like me, also just sounded like mumbling.

My vision was almost completely back, my breathing had decreased to a normal rate, and we were allowed to leave the fenced in area. I found my parents and friends and received a thousand hugs. This is my favorite part of state, all the hugs and everyone telling me how good I did, makes me feel so happy and loved. The unfortunate part though, was that my arms were unbelievably sore and I could not lift them without getting a shooting pain up my arm, so I couldn't hug anyone back. My dad told me I ran around a 14:20 and I placed somewhere between 7th and 9th. I couldn't believe it. I had achieved my goals and I couldn't stop smiling.

 

I got some water, found my sweats and running shoes, and headed over to the pavilion, where they post the results. When I was almost to the pavilion someone announced that they need the top three teams, Pleasant Valley, Linn-Mar, and Kennedy, to come to the pavilion. I couldn't control my excitement. I screamed, ran over to my teammates, gave them hugs even though it hurt. My lips ached from the smiling, but I was so unbelievably happy. I lined up to get my individual award. While in the building, waiting to receive my award I saw some of the girls I ran with at Johnston. We said hi and talked a little and then I was called out to receive my award. I stood there smiling like an idiot as they put the surprisingly small metal around my neck. After the top ten individuals received their metals, they told us that if we were part of a team that finished in the top three to go join them. So I turned around, but my team wasn't there. My heart sank. I almost cried. I ran out of there to find my teammates, but no one was there. I checked the results. They had changed and they said Johnston had beaten us by one point. Apparently one of their girls tag didn't appear in the system and they had gotten 3rd. I wanted to cry, but at the same time I was really proud of how I did.