Run Forrest Run
Samantha Finn
16 Sept 2013 Run Forrest Run “Racers on your mark!”
Panting, gasping, nerves on fire.
“Get set”
Heart thumping, mind whirling.
Pow!
The gun shoots a bullet of adrenaline straight through my chest, my ears are roaring; my hands are shaking. Instinct takes over. Suddenly, I’m taking off down the trail. I see my cross country coaches cheering, my family screaming, but the only sound I hear is my voice, reminding me to pace yourself, pace yourself, pace yourself. Pace myself…I don’t really apply the way I run to the way I live. Pace myself…one step at a time down the path. It seems like I’m always doing the opposite…
“Daddy, daddy! Teach me how to ride the bike!” 6 or 7 year old Samantha stands, bravely tugging at her Daddy’s shirt as he mends a busted bike tire. “Sweetheart, you know how to ride a bike.” His attention is focused on the rubber mess on the ground. The girl sighs, and walks to her precious purple Barbie bike, which stands almost dauntingly, shimmering in the sun. She kicks the training wheels, her petite little girl dress ruffling in objection. “No, like a big girl.” She asks softly, disappointed. Samantha watched as her older sister, Abigail, breezes around the yard, her bike free of training wheels. It looked so fun, so easy. She wanted her training wheels off, and she wanted them off right then. Her father looks up from what he was doing, and sees her standing, glaring harshly at her bike across the yard. “Come here!” he calls to her. She starts over to him, confused. “Bring the bike, too” Excitement swelled inside the girl, and she pushed the bike to where her father stood. “Find your helmet, and knee pads. And you must listen to me.” Samantha whirled around, frantic and ecstatic.
She’s on the bike, her father behind her, holding the seat. She begins to peddle, wobbly at first. Her Dad’s hand guides her around the yard. “Let go!” she cries, confident in her ability to do it herself. She hears a chuckle and
16 Sept 2013 Run Forrest Run “Racers on your mark!”
Panting, gasping, nerves on fire.
“Get set”
Heart thumping, mind whirling.
Pow!
The gun shoots a bullet of adrenaline straight through my chest, my ears are roaring; my hands are shaking. Instinct takes over. Suddenly, I’m taking off down the trail. I see my cross country coaches cheering, my family screaming, but the only sound I hear is my voice, reminding me to pace yourself, pace yourself, pace yourself. Pace myself…I don’t really apply the way I run to the way I live. Pace myself…one step at a time down the path. It seems like I’m always doing the opposite…
“Daddy, daddy! Teach me how to ride the bike!” 6 or 7 year old Samantha stands, bravely tugging at her Daddy’s shirt as he mends a busted bike tire. “Sweetheart, you know how to ride a bike.” His attention is focused on the rubber mess on the ground. The girl sighs, and walks to her precious purple Barbie bike, which stands almost dauntingly, shimmering in the sun. She kicks the training wheels, her petite little girl dress ruffling in objection. “No, like a big girl.” She asks softly, disappointed. Samantha watched as her older sister, Abigail, breezes around the yard, her bike free of training wheels. It looked so fun, so easy. She wanted her training wheels off, and she wanted them off right then. Her father looks up from what he was doing, and sees her standing, glaring harshly at her bike across the yard. “Come here!” he calls to her. She starts over to him, confused. “Bring the bike, too” Excitement swelled inside the girl, and she pushed the bike to where her father stood. “Find your helmet, and knee pads. And you must listen to me.” Samantha whirled around, frantic and ecstatic.
She’s on the bike, her father behind her, holding the seat. She begins to peddle, wobbly at first. Her Dad’s hand guides her around the yard. “Let go!” she cries, confident in her ability to do it herself. She hears a chuckle and
Cited: Casey Phillip, Mr. "Experts Say Getting Your 'second Wind ' Is a Real Phenomenon." Timesfreepress.com. TimesFreePress, 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2013 Ellington, Linda. "Running Basics." Running Basics. REI, 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013.