track-star-stories part 02

I mentioned in my last post that I had one season as a track runner that I went undefeated in the 400 meter dash. I went undefeated in the regular season, but then there is also a post-season. that season I was also city champion, county champion, but then there was sections. by competing in the section meet, I would be racing against students from all over northern california, and it would see if I was eligible to run in the state meet.

when I got to the sections meet, I saw the other guys I was going to be running against. these were not kids from modesto or stanislaus county. they had trainers. they were sponsored by nike and adidas. they looked like they must have been 7 feet tall and had legs like horses. they all had the best gear and the biggest muscles. my winning streak was going to end; I knew it. but in my egocentric, 16 year old mind, losing was going to be the worst thing ever- so I had to come up with a plan to save face.

I thought I had a perfect one: when the starter started the race I was going to intentionally false-start. normally, when a runner does a false start, everyone takes a break and tries again. but at this level, a false start meant disqualification. my plan was to false start- and then when everyone asked if I won, I would say, "no, I false-started. but I'm sure that I WOULD have won, if I just didn't make that mistake."

since I wasn't going to run the race, I didn't jog all over the place getting warmed up. I didn't stretch my legs, because I wasn't going to actually race!

at the time of the race, I set my blocks in my lane- something like lane 6. the starter called out "RUNNERS TAKE YOUR MARKS!" we all kneeled down into our blocks. he raised his gun and shouted out, "SET!" we all raised up, and after a second or two, I bounced out. the gun fired off twice meaning that there was a false start. my plan had worked. I sold the lie with a bit of acting- like I was really upset to lose the opportunity to run this race- and that I was mad at myself. I started to walk off of the track when the starter yelled out, "RUNNERS TAKE YOUR MARKS! ... LANE SIX! TAKE YOUR MARKS!"

uh-oh. he was telling me that I WASN'T disqualified. I protested a bit- saying, "no- no- I should be disqualified..." but he said it again, "LANE SIX! TAKE YOUR MARKS!"

I had to run.

when the pistol blew, I shot out of those blocks- I had a great start. but these were the best runners in northern california; and I had not warmed up or stretched. I was left in the dust- barely able to compete with these guys. I think I may have even finished the race with a limp.

"Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall."
-proverbs 16:18

God is love.
-rev-rob