There are moments in a person’s life that become a sort of staple in their life. My particular moment was a certain race almost twenty years ago. Back in those days I was a track and field athlete who specialized in the one hundred meter dash, a race that’s often underestimated and highly anticipated at the same time.
It was the state tournament and the meet itself took place in my town. Teams from all over came to support their teammates and watch some high level competition. I had already successfully passed through both the preliminary and semifinal times with mediocre times. We were now in the finals and the suspense was strong enough to give me trouble sleeping the previous night.
The day of the event was very stressful for me. I had made sure to watch what I ate, drank, and did throughout the entire day. My teammates looked at me funny as I carefully measure the amount of water I consumed with every meal. To them I was being a little over enthusiastic about the whole thing. To me though, this was everything.
Sometime during the afternoon an announcement had been made for all athletes participating in the one hundred meter dash. I felt my food rumble in my stomach as the anxiety hit hard. Without another word I bolted out the dining room and into my changing room to get ready.
My room was a mess, as I didn’t exactly have the best organization skills. I quickly searched frantically for my uniform while watching the clock through the corner of my eye. Every minute that passed felt like another second wasted. I eventually found my uniform but only with five minutes remaining.
From my room I bolted to the elevator, out of the lobby, and onto the field itself.
If you think I was stressed enough then you should have seen my face upon approaching the track. The stadium had been nearly filled and my own teammates were watching and chanting my name at the same time. It was like stepping into a dream. A dream that you often fantasize about while telling yourself that the likelihood of reaching it was small. This was different. I was actually living my dream, and yet I felt so terrified.
I wasted no time and prepared for my race while watching the crowds’ numbers continuously increase. Before long the entire stadium had been filled with more people standing along the fence.
The race was announced not too long after. I carried my starting blocks with me while looking silently at the rubbery surface of the track. I looked around at my competition. They all looked so much taller, built, and better than I was. Still, there was no room for sabotaging thoughts. The race still had to be run.
Once I put my hands on the track all thoughts disappeared. The sounds of my teammates and everyone else had been drowned out. All I could hear was silence. All I could see was the track before me. Carefully, I put my hands on the track and looked ahead at the finish line ahead.
The announcer’s voice was all I heard before the popping of the gun. Once that gun came off I wasted no time and ran forward with every muscle in my body tensing. The people around me were nonexistent in my vision. The only thing I could see was the finish line.
Almost as soon as it started the race had ended. I looked around at the other runners. They all appeared to be slightly disappointed. I wasn’t exactly sure why until I looked up and saw the reason. I had won the race and was now state champion.
The joy I felt can’t even be explained through words. The closest thing I can compare it to is swallowing a cloud laced with sugar. All the exhaustion I had felt earlier vanished and the only thing that mattered was my victory. My teammates roared my name triumphantly while I returned the gesture with a smile. Never before in my life had I been so happy or felt so accomplished.
This is why that race will forever be a memory that I’ll never forget.
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