I set down my bags and propped them up next to my gallon of water. Plop. My teammates dropped the team tent near the grass and started setting it up so we can get some shade from the scorching hot sun. I began feeling excited but also at the same time I felt as if I was going to throw up my breakfast. I thought about the amount of miles I was going to face later that day. 

“Yo do you have any Advil on you?” I asked my teammate Rikki. 

“Yeah, I’ll pass you three once I finish getting set up.” he responded as he got comfortable on the grass. 

I celebrated in my head knowing my legs will be numb for a bit as I run this race. I also remembered that I had some Biofreeze in my bag. I whipped it out and started applying a good amount along my shins while applying a bit of pressure on them. 

“Let me get some too!” yelped Rikki as his eyes sparked with excitement as soon as he saw the Biofreeze. I passed him the bottle and he started to apply it all over his leg.

“You are such a lifesaver! Thank you.” he passed me back the Biofreeze and I stored it back in my bag. 

I checked my watch and noticed I had around 40 minutes till my race was up. I tied my shoes and did a light jog towards the track. I could feel the Advil and the Biofreeze begin to kick in. I felt prepared to the max knowing there really isn't anything in my way for this race. After running a few warm up laps I headed over to the field. 

“Let's get to stretching!” yelled the captain of the team while everyone was gathering up. 

I got my stretches in and felt great, I was mainly focused on how I was going to perform rather than worrying about all the people here. 

It was time for the 3 mile race, which was mine. The group I was part of was already at the start introducing themselves to the other racers. I got behind the line and wished everyone luck and gave a couple of fist bumps to lock it in.  Bang. The sound of a starting gun was heard all across the field causing everyone to launch from the starting line. I sprang forward and kept up with the top of the pack which consisted of around 15 people. I kept reminding myself that if I wanted a chance to get a medal I needed to be a part of the top 15. So I kept a count in my head to make sure I always knew my place and never got near to getting anything lower than 15. 

The Biofreeze was doing its job because throughout the race I felt as if I was floating and felt no pain from my muscles. After a few meters into the race I caught a runner high and only paid attention to my surroundings. The race was held in this super huge park surrounded by trees. My ears were listening to the sounds of sticks and leaves being crushed under my feet.

I can remember the smell of fresh grass filling my nose each time I went for a deep inhale. 2 miles in the race was going well and I was feeling great. I really did not have much company around me because the group fell apart as everyone caught their own pace. I was comfortable with mine. The end was near and I could see someone slightly ahead of me. I started to push because I wanted to gain an extra placement. My body was feeling tired and thinking I wasn't going to catch the runner ahead of me. The Biofreeze was finally wearing off and my legs started to feel like hell.

I then told myself that this is the moment I worked for the whole season and can't give up just because there was a bit of pain in my legs. This motivated me even more and I picked up the pace and saw the runner get nearer. I was fully capable of passing him and getting that placement. We were now on the final stages of the race and were now on the track racing towards the finish line. I can hear the crowd yelling and teammates going wild. I felt like giving up and solely taking my place. But I just could not settle for that. I wanted to push myself to the max. I kept on running the hardest I could and I finally caught up to the runner in front of me. It was head on towards the finish line. I could hear my coach and teammates yell and shout some motivating things. I picked up my pace even more and started to separate myself from the runner and get myself closer to the finish line. 

I finally crossed the finish line and grabbed my placement card. 

“9th” I read outloud trying to catch my breath as I sat down on the ground while my heart was pounding. 

“Great job Leo! That was incredible” my coach praised as he collected my card and turned it in for me. 

For this situation I like to think of it as a lesson. It showed me that I have to step into uncomfortable situations to get something in life. I gained a new skill which was now being comfortable in areas where I might feel uncomfortable. This is because I know that the reward will certainly outweigh the uncomfortable feeling. I also like thinking of this one saying “high risk, high reward”. I think of this because I risked the amount of pain I was going through but I kept on pushing and as a reward I placed higher than ever before. I know the step in line waiting to receive my medal I will cherish forever because it was more than a simple race, it was a lesson and it gave me a skill I will use forever.