Frankie Jones
Last night was great fun.
This morning was even better.
I woke up to an empty bed, my stomach dropped and I worried Harry had run off. I had pushed him away somehow by being too vulnerable and admitting I was petrified of what I was feeling. He didn't run off though, he was downstairs making a smoothie with all the doors shut so I never heard.
It was really sweet, I remember he used to have them sent to my hotel rooms when we were away and it was always really thoughtful. He wanted to cook breakfast, his specialty, but I just had toast and my smoothie, courtesy of Harry.
We headed out to the track after our run, today was a new day and I was feeling a lot less negative than I was yesterday. It's so easy to get lost in your own mind sometimes, to let things totally consume you to the point where thinking about anything else feels impossible.
I've had a break, last night distracted me from everything and for once, I went to sleep with a smile on my face, feeling like I was at total ease. I've been trying to have evenings where I take nights off thinking about the Olympics, but ever since I first qualified, I've never been able to until last night.
I did my first run of the day and I didn't even ask Harry for the time, I've decided not to do that anymore, unless I'm terribly behind. We've been good at putting our lives outside of work to one side when we're training, which is good, because then the Olympic coaches can't say a thing about us.
I crossed the finish line, crouched down and caught my breath. My legs were on fire from that one, every day I swear I'm pushing myself further and further and yet it feels like I'm getting nowhere. I'm trying not to be so negative though, Harry and his optimistic mindset seems to be rubbing off on me.
Harry wandered over from the side with a smirk on his face, his hands in his pockets. I stood back up right, not speaking to him though, I was too busy trying to catch my breath.
'Frankie,' He smiled, shaking his head and taking his stopwatch out of his pocket. 'Look.'
He turned it for me to look at, and I couldn't quite believe my eyes. I've memories the record held for each race, and according to Harry's stopwatch, I was 1.2 seconds over the record for the 200 metre sprint.
My face dropped, my heart stopped and I looked at Harry as if he could verify what it was I was actually seeing here. He had the biggest grin on his face, let out a little laugh which I was assuming was because of my lack of reaction. I was unsure still, could that really be true?
'Frankie you've beaten the world record!' Harry said, waiting for the penny to drop in my head. 'Hello? You in there? You just-'
'Ahh!' I exclaimed, cheering out excitedly and throwing my arms around Harry as I giggled like a little kid.
Harry's arms wrapped around my waist and raised me up off of the ground, spinning around in a circle as he laughed into the crook of my neck. When I pulled back awkwardly, he had the biggest smile on his face, rosie cheeks and eyes full of stars that I couldn't stare into for too long without getting distracted.
'I did it!'
'You did it.' Harry nodded, pulling me back in for a hug as he mumbled into the crook of my neck. 'So happy for you.'
I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. This was what I needed, to know I could do it, and if I keep training at it then by the olympics I could take all three records. It's in sight now, everything I'm consumed by at every moment of my life is within reach and I've never felt more full of ambition until right now.
