I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was finally here. The moment that I have been waiting for, for all these years. Practise after practise. Miles after miles. Panting and hustling.

The sound of the crowds cheering, shouting and screaming their lungs out to their teammates to give them their full support.

I took another deep breath again. But, there's still a sense of fear inside me. Nervous. Excited. Scared. Anxious. Hesitation.

Why am I hesitating? There's no turning back anymore. It's now or never. This is my last chance to prove myself that I am not afraid to achieve my goal, I told myself as I took another deep breath.

Breath after breath, I took to cool myself down. It seems to help every time.

Miraculously, I couldn't feel the injury on my left feet hurting. It was suppose to hurt like this morning as I suspected. But, I didn't care. I don't have time to think about those stuff.

A teacher gave the signal to the runners to come in. It was now our turn. The 400m race.

My heart was beating very quickly, my mind went totally blank. I forget everything else and put it behind me.

I took another last deep breath before entering my lane. I was the first lane.
As I walk anxiously towards my lane and took my position.

I put on my serious expression as I focus to my front and nowhere else. I felt my adrenaline rush.

"Okay, runners on your position," said the judge as he raised his gun in the air.

This is it. My last run.

"On your mark."

"Get set."

BANG!!!

Siew Lin rushed down the flight of stairs towards the basketball court. She stares in amazement, filled with awe, gazing out to the field. It was the biggest field she had ever seen in her life!

"Excuse me," a student shouted behind her, who was blocking the way.

"Oh, sorry sorry," Siew Lin apologised and quickly make her way down the stairs and gather together with the rest her green teammates.

It was her first year in her new secondary school, trying to get used to the new environment and the people in school.

She saw some of her classmates already gathering there at the basketball court. It seems she's finding someone.

Yean Lynn walked around, quietly. Looking around. Confused and totally lost of what's happening.

Sara rushed down on the flight of stairs and Siew Lin walk towards her, waiting for her below.

While waiting for the teacher instructions, Sara strike up the conversation with Yean Lynn. Siew Lin stood quietly by the side, looking around.

The green house newbies were handing up their CCA books to the teachers. An order was given out to the secondary 2 seniors.

The secondary 2 students lead the newbies to the 100m running track. Siew Lin, Sara and Yean Lynn follow slowly behind them.
The field was wet and muddy from last nights raining and it looks quite slippery.

But, still, everyone is force to run. The girls went first. The seniors went first then after that was the newbies turn.
There weren't any many seniors, so by the time they knew it, it was the newbies turn.
Everyone back away from the track, refusing to step up first.

Mr. Nan, our green house teacher pestered us to run. Like it or not. We still have to run.
The girls slowly lined up on the track.

"On your mark."

"Get set"

Beeeep!!!!

There goes the first whistle. The girls ran as fast as they could. But, Siew Lin wasn't paying much attention to it because she was the next team to run. Mr.Nan rush the girls to hurry up and get in place.

There were butterflies in her stomach. Scared. Nervous. Anxious.

Siew Lin took her position.

She looks at the boys, 2 of her classmate boys were laughing and pointing at her.

"Ahaha!! See Siew Lin running," goes 1 boy.

"Oh my gawd, Siew Lin is running wor," laugh Nicholas.

Siew Lin ignored them and focus straight ahead.

"On your mark," the teacher said.

"Get set."

Beeeep!!!

Siew Lin's right leg slipped and was fling to a 45 degree angle to the back. She almost felled over but she kept running forward and manage to balance herself back and still running. She was now ahead of the others. She ran, ran and ran till she reached towards to the end of the track.

Unbelievable, she thought to herself, panting. Out of breath.

She stood by the side as the other girls too finishes up the run.

And now, it was the boys turn. She smiled slyly to herself as she watched her 2 classmates struggle. Oh, how evil she was.

There were panting and gasping for breath. Siew Lin stares at the 2 boys, but they avoided her stare.

"Okay, next is 200m run,"shouted the teacher as everyone move to another track.

Siew Lin walk towards the side of the track. And again, the girls ran first. She was in the 2nd team again.

After the 1st team had finish running. It was the 2nd team turn to run.

Siew Lin takes her position again. This time, more relaxed then before.

"On your marks."

"Get set."

Beeeep!!!

She ran and ran. She was ahead of the others. She didn't dare to look back. It was tiring. More tiring then the 100m run. She didn't dare to stop running till she reached at the end of the track.

She was panting very hard. Her face was flushes.

"Okay, those who had finished running can go home,"one of the teacher say.

She walk tiredly towards the flight of stairs and slowly climbed.
Yean Lynn and Sara was walking behind her, panting as well.

Yean Lynn points at Siew Lin, trying to catch her breath.
"Wah, she run so fast."

"Ya larh," says Sara, catching her breath as well.

Siew Lin continues to climbed up the stairs. 2 steps at the time and she knew, what was set in her mind from that day onwards.

~~~~~~~~

BANG!!!

The sound of the gun echoes.

I ran. Ran. Mustering every single of my strength. I didn't dare to look back.
I was now ahead. I ran and ran.

Suddenly, there were flashbacks.
Flashbacks on what I have achieve.
Flashbacks on what I have failed to achieve.

Failure. The sound echoed in my head.
"I am not afraid to get what I want. Do it and get it."
I scolded myself.

I came in first for the 1st round. One more round and it's over.

I could hear Yean Lynn screaming her lungs out, cheering for me. Even in a further distance.
My St.John team all cheering and shouting at their duty stations.
I hear voices in my head.

I ran.
My green house mate overtook me.
I slowly come into a moderate speed. But I still ran.
My thighs were aching from the marching practise.
My legs were tired.
But I counldn't give up.

I was almost there.
Almost.
Another runner overtook me.
But, I finally ended up in 3rd place.

3rd place wasn't that bad. I dropped to the muddy ground, exhausted. Legs aching.
For the first time, I felt proud of myself, for the first time I have achieve something which I hadn't thought I would achieve.
Something that will be forever in my memory.

Authors Note :
~~~~~~~~

400m wasn't the one which I wanted to join in the first place.
I was interested in 100m, 200m and 4x100m.
I wanted to sprint.
I knew I wasn't good in long distance running because I knew I could get tired easily.

I counted my whole life and soul to my team leader to let me join those races. But in the end, the drastic news hits me like a knife stabbing my in the heart when my house leader didn't put my name in those races.
I felt like breaking down.
I felt like giving up.
I felt like crying.
I was hopeless.

I remember 2 years back how I did really badly in 4x400m. What if I lose again?

But, in the end. I built back up my self-esteem and went out and fight.
Lose or win. Whatever the results may be, I will still be proud of myself.

In the end, I succeeded in getting a medal. Although it's 3rd place, but I'm still proud of myself for doing the things which I thought I couldn't do.

~~~~~~~~

It was the saddest, most painful but yet the proudest day I ever had for my Sports Day.

Words of encouragement.

Everyone knows that you can run. Trisha.
A good runner doesn't mean that you have to take part in all school races. Edward.
Sometimes things can't go the way you want them to. lynnliu.


I am not a professional sprinter, I am just an original student who is keen in running.

I am not an athletic, I am just a student who strives to keep fit.

Who am I?

I am Chuah Siew Lin.

and everyone still believes that...
I will still run again one day...

and that one day shall come.