Once football season is over, I'm always a little sad. However, I do get excited because I know track season is right around the corner. During football season, you pretty much know what to expect in terms of weather. That is not the case at a track meet. You can have a beautiful, sun shining day...with winds 80 mph. You can have a beautiful, sun shining day...with no wind and temps in the 90's. You can have a not-so beautiful day, no sun...with temps in the 30's. In the Texas Panhandle you could get a mixture of all of those days all in one track meet!
What I like most about track is the emotion you feel sitting in the stands. Everyone on their feet cheering as the runners cross the finish line and everyone on their feet cheering for that last runner who is determined to finish a race even though everyone finished way before him/her. My good friend, Connie always talks about "heart and hustle" and I think a track meet is a prime place to find that "heart and hustle."
When Chase ran track, he was the first leg on all three relays. I can remember the knot in my stomach before each race. I loved seeing him get down in the blocks and remain so still until the shot of the gun rang in the air. When he bolted out of the blocks, the knot in my stomach was gone and it was pure excitement from that point forward.
Last year was Madie's first year to run track and just like most siblings, her and Chase did not have the same talents in track. In the very first track meet, Madie ran the 400 and the 300 hurdles. Those of you who are not familiar with track need to know those 2 events are back to back. The 400 meters is first and for someone who did not have any practice running the race, I felt Madie did great. She was extremely exhausted when she crossed the line. She did not get the speed that her brother had, but her "heart and hustle" were there...every step of the 400 meters. She had 3 groups do the 400 meters before she had to step back on the track and run the 300 hurdles.
Imagine running 400meters, resting for 10 minutes and then getting back on the track and running 300 meters...this time with HURDLES in the way. She cleared the first few hurdles pretty good, then exhaustion set in. As she came upon the home stretch, I could tell by the look in her face she was hurting. But...she did not quit. She finished the race. She did not hear the cheers of the crowd as she crossed the finish line first, but she did hear cheers as she CROSSED the finish line. She was the last one to cross the line, but she crossed it and I could not have been more proud. She put her heart into the race and she competed against other girls for her school.
Our lives are a lot like track meets. There are often hurdles in our way, but if we just dig down and find the strength to go over those hurdles we will make it. "Hustle and
Heart" applies to every aspect of our lives. Here is hoping your hurdles are few and you always find the strength to finish the races set before you!
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
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