Personal Narrative: Track Sectionals At Beaver Dam

My most memorable moment running track was track sectionals at Beaver Dam. If we would get 3rd place or better, we would move on to run state track. One of the most glorified events in track and field is the 4 by 400 meter relay. I was lucky enough to be a part of it. The reason the 4 by 4 race is the most glorified event is because it is the most intriguing to watch. Each person runs around the track once and the whole crowd gets pumped up and starts screaming and yelling as loud as they can and it is also the last event of the track meet. The best part of the 4 by 4 is the last curve because that is where everyone is being loud and you get a sudden adrenaline rush to finish the race.

When we got to Beaver Dam, the first thing I did

I started to get ready in my blocks and shook all my nerves away and got in a racing mode. “On your mark”, the official said, “Set…. Go!” As soon as the gun went off I tried to get out and run as fast as I could. When I was about halfway throughout my portion of the leg, I felt someone pass me, so I knew I had to push myself harder. As I was turning the last curve, all the people screaming and cheering gave me a boost to finish the race. I finished around 5th by the time I was done. I then handed it off to the second runner, Brent Thiel. He and I were pretty much the same speed. He got out to a good start and by the time he was done he kept us in 5th place. When he was done he handed the baton off to our third runner, Jordan Marshall. He was usually the guy who passed people when he ran. While he was running his leg he passed one person about halfway through, and while he was running his last stretch he was about even with the guy in 3rd place. He handed off the baton to our fastest runner, Dom Bocchini. I knew it was going to be an exciting finish because the guy Dom was running against was the fastest in this event at the meet. They got off and Dom started out a little faster. By the time they got to the last stretch Dom was ahead by a little bit. The guy behind him was trying to pass him, but Dom wouldn’t let him. Dom finished the race in 3rd and I was so happy because we made it to

I was wondering what was happening. After that I saw our second runner go talk to the official and then he turned around and was devastated. I asked our last runner, Dom Bocchini, what happened? I had no idea why nobody was cheering. And then I found out why. Dom told me that we got disqualified from the race. I then asked him why and he told me, “When Brent was handing off to Jordan, the official thought Brent interfered with one of the last runner”. When I heard that I was devastated. Thinking that we were going to go to state which we have been working towards the whole track season, and then have it all destroyed in a matter of seconds. The worst part of this catastrophe is that our runner who got us disqualified, Brent, broke down in disbelief right in front of the official begging for a reversal of his decision. Us other three runners, didn’t know what to do. We watched our teammate, our friend, just broken down. We attempted to comfort him because we just felt so bad. I imagine how bad he felt, how he was thinking that he let his team down. At that very moment, I really did not care that we didn’t make it to state. I was just worried about our teammate and making sure he was ok. I, also realized that I had three more years to make it to state, while Brent was a senior and this was his last chance.

Most people don’t know how much a relay team can become such close friends. Throughout