Centerline Invitational

I awoke that with to morning smell of toast and scrambled eggs as it drifted into my room from the kitchen downstairs. I stumbled down the stairs soon remembering what day it was: our cross country invitational meet at Centerline. I knew that if I couldn't earn my varsity letter today, it was most likely that I would not earn my letter this season. Or at least that was the attitude I went in with, hoping it would force me to push my self harder than ever before to get my time below 22:30 for a 5k race. So I ate my eggs and toast, hoping they would give me that energy boost when I needed it most.
When I arrived with my father at the meet, the weather didn't look too good, cold, windy and the sky looked as if a storm was on its way. We looked high and low for the rest of my cross country team, but eventually found them on the side of the school. As a team we proceeded to do our pre-race routines, a few laps around the school and into the surrounding neighborhood, stretching and agilities. Once we finished we just relaxed and kept loose until about twenty minutes before the race. From there, time passes in a blur as we get our spikes on, do some more agilities, more stretching and head towards the starting line. Once we got to the starting line we did some run-outs and huddled to give words of advice and encouragement to our teammates. Once back at the starting line runners wait until the last possible minute to take off our sweats, line up with the fastest runners in the front and that included me. I was nervous, so nervous I was shaking in my shoes! As I tried to focus on my race I took my spot at the line, put my right foot forward and waited for the gun to sound.
“Runners, take your marks..” BANG!!
And all the runners sprint forward! Racing to the front and trying to get to the inside before the first turn. The sky had opened up and rain was pouring down on us as the winds blew against us. I found myself in a good spot and soon found my pace as I passed the girls ahead of me as I continued on my 3.1 mile trek. The first mile was good, 6:45 I believe, but the second mile always seems to be the longest as well as the hardest and looking back you always wish that you had done better during your second mile. As I started my third mile, I came upon a straight away in which I found myself slowing down simply because the straight aways can often put a runner to sleep. I sped up as soon as I noticed it and as I came around the last corner where absolutely EVRYONE was waiting for their daughter, teammate or friend to finish the race. I saw my dad as he yelled that I had around ten seconds to left in order to get a varsity time and earn my letter. From that point I sprinted, faster than ever before and crossed the finish line with a time of 22:26. I had done it. I had earned my varsity letter and on top of that I finished 15th out of a hundred and some girls. It was the JV race, but hey, I'm only a freshman. As soon as I got through the crowds at the finish I ran to my dad and collapsed into him, giving him a big hug as I breathed, “I did it.” to him. He had tears in his eyes and I had just earned my varsity letter...as a FRESHMAN! Not many get to do that. I was sopping wet and freezing but nothing mattered to me more then earning my letter.