Mandeville High School had exams all week, so Friday we had off. I finally got to sleep past seven. Once I got up, I went for a two mile run, which we usually do before a race day. I spent the rest of the day at the DMV getting my driver's permit.
This was my third time running at the HighLand course in Baton Rouge this year. I would say it's the most difficult course in Louisiana due to the many hills. My team and I had a great week of practice. We felt we were ready for the competitive weekend. We all knew of the competition, not only individually, but as a team. This was one of the biggest meets for us all year. My team's goal was to run competiitvely against some of the best teams in the state.
I woke up at 5:15 race day morning, quick got dressed and ate some toast, then was out the door by 5:40 to meet the bus at the school. Our bus left the school at 6:00 a.m. for the Baton Rouge meet. The whole bus ride was silent, since everyone was sleeping. Once we finally arrived in Baton Rouge, we all helped unload the bus and set up our team area. The varsity girls got to relax a little while the junior high boys and girls began to warm up. Around 8:10 the varsity girls and I went down to the starting line to say good luck to our freshman girls. After that, we began to warm up. My teammates and I went back to the tent after the warm up and did our drills, stretched, and put our spikes on. We all jogged down to the starting line together. Everyone did some stride outs then we did our team cheer and it then it was time to race.
I couldn't be more nervous for the gun to go off. Once it did, I tried to sprint out, to get a good start. For the
first mile, Mallory Robichaux, from Menard, was leading. I didn't go out as fast as I did last week for the first mile. I was 5:51 the week before and 6:00 this week. After I hit the mile, Annie Hill and Gabby Jennings started to take off. I thought in my mind I need to keep up with them, I can't let them get away. All three of us ran as a pack until about the one and a half mark. I let them get away, due to a huge stitch in my side. I had to push through the race, even though it hurt. Don't give up, I kept thinking. Once, I hit the hill going down the third mile, I tried to shake out my arms and use the down hill. I ran most of the rest of the race in pain. I got to the final straight away and had to give what I had left. I crossed the finish line in 18:49, not as fast aslast week, but we all have those days.
Following the race, my teammates and I discussed about how we did, while changing into our training shoes. Three of our varsity girls got PRs (Chelesy Jones, Amber Jackson, and Ann Marie Young), One of our Freshman runners, Madison Boudreaux fell at the start and got trampled, but still completed the race. Claire Crosby ran a solid race and placed16th, and Kylie Touchard had a hip injury, but still pushed through the race. After, we completed a cool down together, while catching some of the varsity boys race. Later, we all headed down to listen to the awards. The girls team and I anxiously waited to see what place we came in overall. The announcer read off the top ten teams. Third place was St. Josephs, which meant the last two places came down to Mandeville and Menard. Getting second with 89 points Mandeville, the announcer read. We were dissapointed. Menard ran a tough race. We are a young team with 2 juniors, 3 sophomores and 2 freshman on Varsity. Every race is a learning experience.
Both my parents ran at Indiana University, and my mother is the assistant coach . They have always told me that you're not always going to feel good every single race.You have to be mentally tough to get through races that you don't feel good. In most races, there is a point where you won't feel great, and you have to be mentally tough to get through it. Bad races teach you how to get better and you learn what you have to work on in the race.
Mandeville losing to Menard will teach us what we have to do to win state. You can never give up. You always just have to keep trying no matter how hard it is.
<p> If you would be interested in keeping a travel journal, please write to <a href="mailto:pat@louisianarunning.com">pat@louisianarunning.com</a>. </p>
