This year I
was able to travel for sports, since I’m in the eight grade. We started out
with Cross Country. For the beginning of practice we began with yoga for a
couple of days. Then we ran around the airport a couple times. After that we
ran to Sandy’s and back through Charlie’s and back to the school. It started to
become a little bit harder because we had to run on the beach where there was
sand.
Then on September 18th we
flew to Newhalen because the Cross Country Race was going be there. Around 1p.m we got there. A couple hours
after we got there we walked the course. I was thinking, “This is so long I
don’t think I’m going to be able to do this.”
After we walked the course we had dinner.
Then we played an icebreaker, afterwards, we set up for Riflery. Riflery was
okay but the first time I shot I smashed my finger in the pumping thing. After
that we got ready for bed.
The next morning we all got up and
ate breakfast. After breakfast we listen to this trooper talking about
Initiative. I thought it was kind of unexciting and not really interesting.
I didn’t really pay attention to
Initiative because my brain cells were too nervous for the race to start. It
was starting soon, but it seemed like it was taking forever. Then our coach
said that it was time for us to start warming up. We stretched a little bit and
went for a quick run.
After that it was time for the race
to start. The girls went first and there were nine of us. So Ed Lester lined us
up at the top of the hill and counted down from ten. When he reached one, he
blew a whistle for us to go. We started running the race and we were all going
down hill so everybody was pretty fast. Then on the road I paced myself so I wouldn’t
have to be stopping every time I got tired.
I was doing alright until the half
way point where a girl passed me by. I looked to see if anybody was behind me
and I saw this one girl who wasn’t too far back. I wasn’t going to let anybody
else pass me so I kept my pace.
I felt so exhausted and couldn’t
breathe. My legs felt like they were
about to give up. But I kept going till I got to the finish line. I got in
fourth place. I could have gone to the regionals in Bethel if I was in 9th
grade.
Next year I’m going to join Cross
Country and try and do my best again. I thought it wasn’t going to be that fun
joining Cross Country but I guess I was wrong. It was a good start to sports
for me.
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Out of Breath at the Finish Line |
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