My super embarrassing 6th grade running story...

In case you missed it, I WON A RACE! Okay, I didn't exactly win, but I did get 2nd place in my age group, which earned me a medal! OUHHH, AHHHH! Friday night, I went to Kentucky with my friends, Sarah Brown and Krista Taylor, to run the Midnight Madness Glow Run 5k! We had so much fun! Krista also got 2nd in her age group, and Sarah actually did win her age division! She got 1st place, which means she got a trophy! To top it off, we all PR'd! It was magical! I think Krista and I both cried when they called our names! I jumped up and down, skipping all the way to the front to accept my medal. Don't worry; I'll play it cool next time. I honestly can't remember ever winning any race of any type! I take that back, I might have won a donut eating contest? I have said before how much I hate running, and I will now tell you why. Painful memories, I tell you!

When I was in the 6th grade, I ran track for George Washington Middle School. I wasn't particularly good at any event, so they just threw me in events at random! One night, I was entered to run the 400m. For those of you who don't speak track, that is one lap, sprinting. It just so happened that my friend, my much faster friend, Emily Lewis, was in the same race. Typically, the heats go from slowest to fastest.  As they began calling out names and lining people up, they said "Lewis, GW." Emily and I both walked over, and they said "Oh, Emily Lewis." I knew this was wrong and I immediately started panicking. I tried to explain to the woman that there must be a mistake, but she was sure there wasn't. Idiot. Emily was in MY slow heat! And then it dawned on me. I was in HER fast heat. There I stood...surrounded by the fastest middle school 400 runners in the area. I...was...pissed.

Emily's heat took their mark, the gun sounded, and off they went! Emily smoked them, and finished about 100m or more ahead of everyone! I glared at the woman who lined us up, meanwhile I was dying inside. I lined up with my heat and looked at the girls jumping around on either side of me. I decided I should probably do that too! They all bent down and lined their fingers up on the starting line. I decided, again, I should probably do that too!

I heard the gun shot, and I took off as fast as my chubby little legs would let me! It was all a blur! I remember being blinded by the bright lights, and then looking forward to see the backs of all of my competitors as the gap between us grew and grew. By the time I had made it to the 200m mark, the tears were streaming down my cheeks. I had never been so embarrassed in my entire life! My life was RUINED! Remember, I was in 6th grade! This is a very trying time for young ladies! As I struggled on, my older teammates (and even kids from other schools who were out on the football field) started jogging with me, cheering me on. Like I was some sad, pathetic, charity case! I saw an open gate as I was rounding the last curve and seriously considered running right out of the track and not stopping until I got home. But I didn't. I finished the race.

It ended up being my fastest 400, although I really didn't care what the time was. All I knew was that it was nowhere near the time of the girls who were waiting for me at the freaking finish line. The lady at the start line apologized, but said that there was nothing she could do because that is how our coach submitted the names. AH-HA! My coach was the culprit!  I didn't speak to her for at least 2 weeks. That night I vowed to NEVER run in a track meet again. I only broke that vow one time at a small Buffalo High School track meet when I ran some events that only 1 or 2 other runners.

That is why running a 5k, and actually placing, is such a big deal to me. I know it sounds silly, especially telling this story as a 24 year old woman, but it really did make me scared of running a real race! After this weekend, I finally feel like I have conquered a fear! I have made poor, little, chubby, 6th grade Kellie proud! :)