Breathe

Take a breath.

Quick.

In and out. In and out. In and out.

Keep the pace.

Keep it moving.

Keep the head straight. Keep it straight.

There it is baby, there it is.

Keep the pace.

In and out. In and out. In and out.

Quick.

Take a breath.

Reach out, boy. Reach for it.

Keep the pace.

Quick.

There. You got it.

Cheers erupted around me. My legs were still trying to slow down to a full stop. Bodies crashed into me; screams exploded in my ears.

"You won! You won!" They screamed and laughed.

I didn't realize it but I'd started screaming and laughing along with them.

The bodies around me began to move back, away from me.

Coach.

I calmed myself down.

He stood just a mere few feet in front of me.

I ran my mantra through my head.

Take a breath. In and out. In and out. In and out. Smooth; keep the pace.

He spoke.

He smiled.

I smiled.

He came over and gave a one-armed hug, whispering how proud he was, how proud he was of me.

I grinned.

We started walking back to the tent.

I didn't see him coming. No one seemed to see him coming either.

With no warning, he rammed straight into me, knocking me back down to the ground.