Story #8: 200 Meter Dash

The 200 Meter Dash

     Every part of my body was trembling. My stomach felt empty, and it was getting hard

for me to breath. All I could think about was my next event, and that was the 200 meter

dash...

     This is the day that I was dreading because I knew I would be a nervous wreck!

Sitting there at the state track down in Charleston Illinois, is one of the best but worst

feelings ever. Just waiting for the announcer over the loud speaker to call your event is

such a suspense. Once it finally happened, my heart started beating as loud as could

be. While walking over to the tent where all the 200 meter dash runners meet, I

couldn’t stop praying. My whole body was shaking, and I was asking God for the

strength to get me through this.

     Walking out onto the track with all the fans cheering for the other races going on at

the time, is such a great feeling. To know you have made it this far and are guaranteed

to get a medal for placing in the finals makes my nerves a little calmer. Just before my

race they had the special olympic wheelchair 200 meter dash. Watching them use all

their strength in their arms and body just to wheel their chair to the finish line was so

touching, and encouraging. Every time I ran this race during track season I would

always be so nervous the whole time, but something came over me and for the first

time ever for that race and I actually felt ready and pumped. I was ranked fourth going

into it, but ranking never means anything. You never know what might happen.

     “Go ahead and set up your blocks runners,” the starter said. Once mine were all set

and ready, I took a practice start from the blocks and everything was feeling great. I

remember looking over at one of my coaches, Liz Green who was taking pictures of

me. She gave me a thumbs up letting me know she had confidence in me, and that

everything would be alright.

     “Runners take your marks...set...bang,” the starter had fired the gun. I took off like a

bullet feeling so calm and smooth getting around that first 100 curve. Two girls had

made their way in front of me and I was the next behind them.

     Just keep going, I kept telling myself. You’re almost there!

     I kept running as fast as I could! I finally crossed the finish line and I knew right away

that I had gotten third. Instantly I started having tears of joy run down my face. All I

kept doing was thanking God for all that he had done! Then I finally turned around to

the score board and through all the blurriness that my tears had caused I saw my

name up there on the board with the best time that I had ever run before. A 26.04.

More tears started to come down my face, and then I remember hearing our little

section of parents and fans all yell down to me,

     “Good job!” I looked up at them with tears of joy and waved happily at them.

Once I had walked off the track my coach, Liz Green had made her way over to me

and gave me a huge hug!

     “Did you see your time?” she asked me demandingly.

     “YES! I can’t believe it,” I had said back with joy.

     I then had looked up into the stands where my parents, grandparents, and aunt and

uncle were and rose my fist up into the air. They all had waved back down at me and I

could tell by the looks on their faces they were so proud of me.

     The day that I had been dreading became one of the best days of my life!

     Sometimes being nervous pays off in the end.