Fullerton Opener

"Big occasions and races which have been eagerly anticipated almost to the point of dread, are where great deeds can be accomplished."

-Jack Lovelock

Today was the big day; the start of cross country season and the chance for all of the hard work I put in over summer to pay off. The Fullerton Opener this morning was our first cross country meet of the season and I can honestly say that I walk away from my race happy and excited for the races to come.

I have been anxiously awaiting my first race with my new team all summer and as I woke up this morning, I was terrified. I was so nervous that I barely ate or drank anything. I was terrified of failure. I knew that I was ready but I started to doubt myself. On top of the pressure I was feeling as we headed to the meet, the boys van ran out of gas and they were forced to push the van to the nearest gas station. I was still having second thoughts during our warm up, but I knew that I needed to forget about all of the negativity and race for my teammates.

It is amazing how my friends and family are able to inspire me on a daily basis; whether it be kind words, a hug, or simply their presence; I am so thankful to have people that support me no matter what. After our warm-up jog, I ran into a couple old high school teammates and the nerves instantly went away. With my friends and family by my side, I knew that I was ready to race.

I didn't get out fast enough the first 100 meters and was boxed in for about 3/4 of a mile. Regardless, I came through the mile at around 6:10 and was feeling pretty strong. As soon as I had a little room, I maneuvered my way up to the top third of the race and gradually tried to pick it up. At about the 2 mile marker, I noticed a girl from UCLA in front of me and decided to make a move. As I passed her, I glanced over my shoulder and realized that it was Taryn Pastoor from Murrieta Valley High School. Taryn is a junior at UCLA and ever since my freshman year of high school at Great Oak, we have been competitive with each other. Ever since I took my sophomore year off from running, I haven't been able to compete at the same level. It was like I was flashing back to my freshman year in the 2 mile racing her at Rancho Verde. As silly as it seems that I was so ecstatic about passing Taryn Pastoor today; I felt the confidence today that I haven't felt since I was a freshman and that was exciting.

I ended up finishing the 6k at 23:53 in 35th place out of about 220 runners. It was an extremely slow course consisting of thick grass and thick sand for most of the race. I ended up beating Taryn Pastoor and wasn't too far off of Anne Randall from Long Beach State (Anne Randall ran for Saugus High School and went sub 5 in the mile). I felt the happiest I have after a race in a long time. I knew that I gave everything I had and left it all on the course. It was a great first race and I am looking forward to the UC Irvine Invitational next weekend. Until then, I am going to enjoy my weekend at home and continue to train hard!

Micaela, Sydney, and I at Olive Garden for the pre-race team dinner

The girls after the race!