Track Events Gone Wrong (Hurdles and 4x100 Relay)

On June 6th 2007, I missed classes to compete at the York University Track Events with my school team. The competition went from 7:30a.m. to about 4:40p.m. The people that had early events had to take the cab to the track. But the people with late events took the bus and arrived to the track at around 9:30a.m.-10:00a.m. I was one of the late contestants. I was lucky that I actually got there on time for my first event, the hurdles.

I was called on the the track once I got there. I didn't even have time to change into my shorts. I had to run with track pants on and my legs were still freezing because I didn't get to warm up. So my legs were practically shaking from the inside. I had took forth place on the first try but then disaster strikes. My legs were really frozen now and my waste was hurt. I believe I twisted it too much so I felt a little pain in my waste. But I did not I have enough time for it to heal fully. Thus I was running the finals with an injured waste. Once the finals started I had a good start, but I tripped on the third hurdle and fell into another lane but got back into my lane with enough speed to get back into the race. Unforchunetly I got last place. But after an hour of judging I finally got the 7th ribbon. The last ribbon was the 8th ribbon so I actually wasn't all that bad after all. Even though I got through this race with a ribbon, things will get worse.

For hours I waited for my second event, the 4x100 Grade 8 Boys Relay. In the time I had left to prepare for the race(which was about 5 hours of free time) I played, cheered, warmed up, and even watched over competitors compete. I also got the opportunity to take pictures of some of my teammates. After about 5 hours, it was time. I had to run the 4x100 Relay. I was first to receive the baton so I was kinda running on a curve. I kind of had some problems receiving the baton from my teammate but I finally got it and I was a little behind. Although I was behind I charged up and got into first position. But my speed led my team into defeat.

Even though I am a fast runner and I ran really fast, I couldn't tell my teammate to run ahead to receive the baton in time. I accidentally bumped into him and stepped on his foot thus making the both of us slip and fall while other schools passed us. I then yelled "RUN!!" and I then thought to myself "What have I done?!". One of my teammates that were cheering from the sidelines ran down to see if I was okay. I was devastated of what I have done and I put everything on my back. I felt really guilty. I still remember what my teammate said to me. "It's okay. Everyone makes mistakes. Just think of this as an experience and you can be more careful next year. It's no one's fault. No one will blame you." These words were just about the same words that my teacher said to me. Right when I got back to our resting place under a tree, 1 of the teachers/couches from my school ask me about the relay situation. I didn't say a word and he could guess what has happened.

But before I walked back to our resting place, back on the track, the referee saw that my teammate and I had fell so he came over with a red flag to take a look I told him that we're
okay and that it was my fault that we fell. Not the other teams. The referee then raised the white flag indicating that everything is fine and no one is injured. Although the other team did not get into trouble there, they were disqualified at the next receiving point because of a false start by a teammate of theirs.

Later on, when everyone had left, we were the only school left with sad expressions on our faces. But in the end we all had fun and we even stayed 'till about 5:50p.m. to have some fun on the track.