It was my freshman year of high school and I had joined the track team after I thought I would never take part in track again after my undesirable experiences with Middle school track.  Determined to put my perseverance to the test, I scraped up the little courage I had and joined the team.  It was a chilly spring day at our home meet against Trenton, and I was determined to run every race with every ounce of energy that I had.  I was on the turf with my B- team 400 relay group, trying to control my nerves and keep calm while waiting for the race.  I wasn’t too worried until our coaches told us that we would have to run against Trenton’s A- team because our A-team girls were tired.  I’ll never doubt myself again after this experience. 

Sharing my blanket with some other team members on the prickly turf, we discussed how every team member was looking exhausted after their race.  Although we were all pretty glum that our chances of beating Trenton were low, we had on brave faces.  Knowing that I had to run a relay this meet, I was more nervous than usual.  Not letting the fear of disappointing my teammates get me down, I would get up and cheer for the North runners as they passed me on the track because I knew I wanted the same cheers of encouragement when it was my turn to run.  Time felt like it was flying by but yet felt stuck in every moment.  The butterflies in my stomach became really excited, as it was almost time to run the relay.  Preparing for the tough race and trying to get our blood pumping, the girls and I did our strides and went through the list of warm up exercises.  Dreading the near future more than before, I reluctantly took off my warm sweats revealing my bare legs to the frigid air.  Now covered in gooses bumps and receiving last minute advice from the older girls, my team and I jogged over to the coaches.  The A-team was already talking to the coaches and appeared to be quite distressed.  We soon found out that the A-team girls wanted to forfeit because they were too tired.  To our dismay, our coaches told us that they want us to take the place of the A-team.  I could not shake this new feeling of perplexity off, so I knew I had to accept the situation and just give it my all. 

Standing next to the Trenton A- team rely group, I felt like such a baby.  They were taller, older, more muscular, and had an air of confidence about them.  Knowing that my coaches wouldn’t have made us run this if they didn’t believe in us, I snapped myself together and anticipated my near future.  Jumping for warmth, I cheered for our boys as they tried triumphantly to beat Trenton.  After being assigned 3rd leg in our race, I was glad that I wasn’t the one to start or finish the race, but I still wished that time would slow down so I could prepare my mind before giving the race my all.  The boys lost so then the pressure was on us girls to be on our A game.  Our first girl went into position and the ref fired the start gun, and the loud bang and smoke initiated the screams of encouragement.  I said good luck to my twin, who was the second leg of the relay before she ran into position ready to grab the baton.  I cheer for her and get ready to run my stretch of the race.  Finally, I scurried into position and looked back and saw my sister approaching me.  She handed off the baton and I took off. 

Propelling my body forward with all my strength and might, I made up for some of the time lost.  As I approached the second curve, I heard my team screaming my name, “JULIA,” “JULIA,” “JULIA,” and I pushed myself even harder.  When I saw one of my coaches surrounded by my teammates looking proud, I felt accomplished and tried to sprint the last one hundred meters with the energy I had miraculously mustered up.  I kept the cheers of my name in my mind as I handed off the baton to the last leg, knowing that I was an underdog who had just made my teammates proud, and was able to catch up to one of the Trenton runners.  Before I was able to totally catch my breath, I witnessed the girl who was the last leg lose all of the distance I had made up.  The loudness of the cheers died down from the previous hyped up crowd, as our girl appeared to be only half heartily jogging the most important leg of the race. 

Since this event, I have learned to persevere and just give my all to everything I do.  Although we did not win the race against the talented Trenton girls, the spirit and enthusiasm from the crowd for my run was enough of a prize.  If I were ever in a situation like this again, I would listen to my initial instincts of doing my best, which has become a motto in my life.