Oops

by Ean
(Chicago, IL, USA)

My very first race, whew, what a race. I had started the High School Cross Country team after they had already built their bases and 4 weeks from their first race. I didn't care I had beaten halo too many times to do it again. So I trained and it was very difficult playing catch up to the other two runners on the team until my first race came along.




We, all the other runners and I, toed the line bent forwards waiting for the starter to pull the trigger on the gun. When that snap exploded into the air I took off. Man was I fast, but when I looked behind me to see hundreds of runners 50m behind me and leading, even beating the guy who would go on to win state that year for the 4th year in a row, I got even faster; I don't know if it was terror or stupidity that made me keep going. but I wish I hadn't.

Did I do well?
LOL NOPE.
#1 rule is to never go out too fast.
No one told me so a mile into this 5k I am huffing and puffing my way to the finish fighting not to end in dead last.

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I learned from my mistake and came back the next year in track and won back to back wins in the mile. but still a good one for the running circles.