Frankie Jones
It's race day.
Today is just the one hundred metre sprint. There are so many categories, from under 12's to over 40s, so a day per race is necessary. There are thousands of people here, the greatest athletes and some of the newest too. So many people have come out to show support which is such a beautiful thing, however the extra eyes watching you is quite terrifying.
Harry is running today too, the male category is right before the female one so we only have about ten minutes to talk before it's my turn to run. Alice, Harry, and I are all in the car on the way, the two of them calming any flowing nerves of mine just by being in my presence.
'Everyone's gonna be all over you out there Frankie,' Alice warned me. 'Watching you like a hawk, but just smile and wave. Talk to who you want and shake some hands, you'll be fine.'
'This is the worst part,' I bit the insides of my cheeks as I put on my sunglasses.
'Speaking to people?' Harry asked, easing an eyebrow at my previous statement.
'No,' I sighed. 'Having to put on a brave face. I'm shitting it.'
The car came to a stop and the three of us hopped out. As expected, there were people there to greet us and walk us into the venue, but there were also people with cameras and fans who weren't granted access to the track because it's a ticketed event. I waved at them all and smiled at young girls who looked at me like I was somebody they admired, something I still haven't gotten used to.
Harry lingered behind, perhaps letting me have my moment, but also because he was talking to some people in the crowds. Alice stayed by my side until we stepped inside and the doors closed behind us. Even then, there were people in the corridors who shook our hands and wished us luck for the next few days ahead of us.
I'm presenting an award this week, and I have to talk at the charity night so I was introduced to the people who would be involved with that. I'm presenting it to the under 16 girls which I'm honoured to do. I love watching the young women run, they are the future of athletics and the exact reason I was rushing getting ready right now, so I could go out and watch the run.
There was plenty of time to spare, by the time we arrived the day was only beginning. It's important for me to be there early, to show my face at the younger races because it's good for the public image. I enjoy coming early though, I enjoy speaking to the young girls who are full of excitement and passion. They all have some sort of resilience you only have at their age and it's so inspiring to see.
Harry and I met outside the changing rooms and walked outside together. Alice was already out there, the next big task was finding where she's gone off to. As we walked out I could feel him look at me, trying to gauge whether I was never out for the day. I was nervous, sickeningly nervous, but I like to think I do a good job at not letting it show.
People waved at us, they opened their eyes a little wider and parted their lips, but the glory of being at championships like this is that these are people who know the sport and won't treat you like some A-list celebrity because they saw you on the news. People here tend not to bother you so much, and when they do, at least it's genuine.
'How are you?' Harry asked me, stood beside me wearing his cap, staring out at crowd of people before us.
'Fine, thanks.' I nodded.
'No, like...' he turned to face me then, pursing his lips together as he thought about how to word his next statement. 'How-'
'Fine.' I repeated, knowing what he was trying to say by the fact he's never asking me how I am until today.
