I can feel my heart beating a thousand miles an hour,
And my sweaty hands are beginning to shake slightly.
The man is holding the gun pointing upward
He’s telling us to get ready… get set… BANG!
A small gray wisp of smoke floats out of the gun,
But I’m already running and I don’t notice it.
There’s only me and the endless line of hurdles ahead.
I reach the first one and I’m suddenly flying,
My feet barely touching the blurry track below me.
Hurdle by hurdle, I get closer to the finish line.
I can see that I’m in second, but I only want first,
And with the end quickly approaching,
I push myself faster than I’ve ever gone before
Because second just isn’t an option.
Suddenly we’re side by side, strides matching.
It’s a race just between the two of us now,
And I can feel myself inching ahead,
Until I see that the finish line is already behind me.
I’m exhausted, but a smile finds its way to my face
From the realization that my nervous waiting was worth it.