“Maia, get up, you have track,” my sister yelled. I got up right in the morning at seven and my house was freezing. I put on my uniform, quickly tied my hair up in a ponytail and placed my sneakers onto my feet. It doesn’t take me that long to get ready. I grabbed my phone and texted my friend Lauren, asking her for a ride to the high school. My parents are always too lazy to actually get up from their bed. Coaches said to be at the high school at 8:30, because the yellow buses leave at 8:45. Lauren and I got there and sat in the back corner near the stairs with our friends but we waited for an extra 15 minutes because the busses were late. Lauren was already bugging out on how she didn’t want to run. I explained, “But that’s the only thing you do in track, so get ready.” We finally got on the buses, we put it on our IPod’s and this is where the long trip began.

Lauren and I walked out from the bus because we were at Peabody high school. It was very big school and there were already a lot of people inside. Our Swampscott team was late in getting there, so we were in a rush. Lauren and I races were coming up later because our races are usually last so we sat down on the bleachers with the rest of the team. My right leg was shaking and I couldn’t help it, it always shakes when I’m nervous. We sat in the bleachers and they passed around the list of events of what we will do. Everyone was doing their usual event which was, Mellissa was doing JV 1000, and Megan running the 2 mile run. When the list came to me it took me a while to find my name because there are so many people on the track team. My name was under the 55 meter dash and surprisingly the 400 dash.
“Ahh, Maia! I’m doing JV 1000 run, and I’m not a distance runner!


Why did I get put into this race, I usually do 55 meter dash with you?” Lauren complained nervously.
“The reason is because you’re such a good runner, Lauren. Don’t worry though I got put into 400 dash run and I’ve never done that before.” I tried calming her down.
“ But your fast! I never ran this before either. Oh no what if I come last!” she struggled, as she put on her sneakers.
“Lauren I bet five bucks you won’t come in last. Good luck though; I have to go because they called up my event.” I explained, and started to walk over to the corner.
Get ready, get set, boom! That’s what it would sound like when my race begins. A man with fancy glasses and a board with a list came up to our Swampscott group and set us up randomly in heats. I was placed in the second heat. The Varsity boys went first but there were no Swampscott boys. When they ran they looked like a predators trying to catch their pray at the finish line. When boys were finished the man who told us which heat we were going to, told us that the girls were next. Swampscott was said to be on the first lane, Peabody on the next, etc. I thought to myself this was varsity girls running because they were all using blocks for feet placement. I realized no one from my team was on the first line because no one wanted to compete in this race because the other girls were so good. Our group was pressuring everyone go fill the space but no one volunteered. “Caitlyn, go run with them!” Anna yelled. Caitlyn replied “No I don’t want to run with them, you run in that heat because I’m not fast!” Out of nowhere they pushed me into the spot. Everyone stared at me, so I had no other choice but to run or look like a fool and back down.
I took a deep breath and positioned myself. The girls that I was competing with did the same. I put my right leg in the back and my right leg in front of me. I looked like as if I was in a lunging position. The audience faded from my ear as I hypnotized myself not to hear one sound. I couldn’t see anybody either, I only paid attention to my lane. I made sure my hair was promptly tightened. I than clenched my fingers together making fists. Each lane looked long and clear. The man with the racing gun got ready and started to count down. Get ready, get set and the gun went off. I had a delayed reaction but I went right back up on my feet again. I didn’t pay attention to the other girls from other teams. I pretended as if I was running from a murderer and running as fast as I can to not get captured. I remembered what my coach told me at practice which was to have long strides and have my arms precisely swaying up and down on my sides. The end was coming and I gave it all I got. We all slammed into the mats that were placed for us to stop from the momentum. A man with a stop watch told me I had a time of 6.8 seconds. I was very surprised because my time improved from a whole second.

My race is very short compared to all the other races. As soon as my event was finished I walked back to the bleachers to see Lauren, but she wasn’t there because she was starting her race already. I sat there in pleasure that I was done with my race and all I had to do is wait for the rest of the team. “Jv 400”, the event speak said. Than I quickly remembered I got put under that event and lifted myself from the seat immediately. All I thought to myself was that I don’t want to run this. Once again I lined up in my lane. I knew I’ve never done this race before so I wasn’t going to be first. Jv 400 is runnig around the track field three times. Our team lined up on our usual lanes. Not this guy again. The man with the racing run came prepared. Get ready, get set, Boom.