𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬┊✓

t w e n t y o n e | n e m o p h i l i s t

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17:45

I laced up my Nike spikes alongside Cassidy, Eliza, and Verónica and together, we got up off the grass and went on a quick warm up jog for our second race in fifteen minutes.

"One of you bring your phone to keep track of the time," I yell over my shoulder, already ahead of them. We got back to where our team was ten minutes later, giving us five minutes to get to the starting line and do a few strides. I took in a mouthful of water and made my way to the starting line with the two girls. I think I was as well as fucked for this race. It was a 5K race and in my last race, which was only forty five minutes ago, and I rolled my right ankle only about five fucking times. I wrapped it though, so maybe it won't be too bad? And I wasn't limping. Yet, a voice in my head added. I'm definitely fucked.

We did three strides before the official who was starting us said to take our places.

"On your mark." The crowd, the spectators, everyone had quieted down, not a single sound was heard.

"Get set." I could feel the anticipation rolling off the crowd in waves.

And the gun shot, shattering the quiet atmosphere.

Screams were heard all around, whether it be coaches, parents, or runners, like me, yelling out the name's of their own friend or teammate in this race from the sidelines. I took off at quite a leisurely pace and yet I still ended up in the lead, far ahead everyone else. So how exactly does that happen? I'm not even trying in the least and here we have some people already sprinting? And I'm in the front? We had to run down this straightaway, which was just grass, before we actually got into the forest and began running on the different terrain.

I kept up my first place position throughout the entire race, I was far from everyone else and I felt myself running downhill into the forest, the last part of the course before I'd hit the open and have to run around the straightaway to the finish line. Once I'd breakthrough the opening, I'll be the sight for the public eyes, everyone's going to be watching as I run the last 1000 meters. But, of course, I'd have to get through this forest first, and that's if I don't kill myself first. I hated this forest, way too much, there were too many fucking hills and it was too dark. All the tall trees blocked any sunlight from shining, and it only filtered in some places. The air was terribly moist and don't get my started on the fucking dirt I was basically running in. Every step I took, it was like my foot was sinking an extra feet into the ground and just add that with the hills, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, rolling my ankle only about another one hundred times.

"Fuck," I said through gritted teeth, as I did indeed roll my ankle on a hill. Must be my lucky day, it's the same one I rolled my ankle on in my other race, I thought sarcastically.

Finally, finally, I saw the opening and I started to pick up speed as I was down to the last 1000 meters. I heard the screams of my friends, screaming my name and I began counting down the meters I had left. I had run this course so many times this season, I had it all memorized.

It wasn't until I hit the first turn and I had 700 meters left that I felt my right ankle begin to go weak on me. And I also felt others behind me, but they weren't close and there was no way I was going to slow down now.

500. Shit I'm gonna collapse.

400. I broke into a full sprint, no longer caring. The finish line was so close, yet it felt so far with my throbbing ankle.