Week 6 exercises

Exercise 93, 94,98

It was finally the last week of practice before finals. The whole team was gearing up for a great meet on Saturday and Sam was growing more and more nervous. She had yet to be noticed by a college scout and her senior of sports was coming to a close. As the team lined up at the starting line for their last practice of the year Sam was anxious to have the practice over with. As she rounded the first corner she was out ahead and nearing the last corner towards the finish line. Just then, Sam stumbled over a pair of starting blocks that were left in her lane by a freshman. She fell hard to the cold ground and laid their with tears rolling down her saddened face. Her ankle was throbbing in pain and already beginning to swell. Her coach rushed over to see what had happened. His mind was growing worried due to the fact that the team desperately needed Sam for Saturdays meet and that hundreds of college scouts would be looking for her on the track. Once Sam got home after practice she layed down on the couch and iced her ankle for hours. Her mind was growing more and more worried about Saturdays meet. Would the sweeling on her ankle go down, would she even be able to walk, would she be able to even run and do her best? If she could not run on Saturdays meet she would have to kiss her dream of running at college and getting a scholarship to run on a track good bye. Would she even be able to afford college without a scholarship? All of these questions rushed through her anxious mind.

Week 4 exercises

Meet day had come and nerves were racing up and down my body paralyzing me with anxiety. My heart was pounding with excitement about what the days meet would bring. Would I win my races and take in as many points as I could possibly take in for my team? Or would I find myself falling behind and only bring in second and third place metals? As I stood in the infield of the track with my block holder, Kaylynn, at my side I began to jabber on to her about my nerves and how well I needed to do like I always did before my races.

“Kaylynn, I’m so nervous I think I’m going to pee my pants right here and now!”

“Sam, you are not going to do that with me standing right here, you say that ever meet right before you take your place in the race. It’s just a nervous pee” said Kaylynn.

“What if I don’t do well or I slip coming out of my blocks?”

“You know that’s not going to happen, it never has and it definitely won’t happen with me holding your blocks for you” said Kaylynn angrily.

“Oh fine. It won’t happen. I know it won’t happen” I said still fearful.

Finally, my race was called as final call over the loud speaker and Kaylynn and I walked over to the starting line of the 400 meter dash. The four hundred meter dash was my “baby” or the race that I hated to love. I was rarely beaten in that race and I had a reputation to hold up in that race. Holding that pressure on my shoulders made the 400 the race that made my body tremble with nerves. I wanted to do so well and keep everyone happy with me. Then, the starter motioned us to take our places in our lanes and blocks. My heart was beating faster now that it had ever before and my legs and arms were trembling. As I heard “get set” from the starter I heard

“Good luck Sam, You can do it you always do no matter how nervous you are” coming from my faithful block holder that always seemed to be there keeping me sane during meets