IMpossible

     Impossible – it’s what this year’s high school track season seemed it might be earlier this spring as I dealt with an Achilles injury. Usually what reminds me of March is the sound of track spikes banging together as dirt falls from the crevasses in the sole. This March however, I was surrounded by the sounds of ultrasound machines, being informed as to how many repeats of an exercise I am to do, and someone asking which magazine I’d like to read as I ice down. Not exactly the way I’d like to begin my track season.

     Once it seemed I was recovering from my injury, my coach and I took baby steps in my training. We need to make sure you’re 100% healthy first, Steve reminded me throughout my training. It was, however, undeniably frustrating to hold back when my team mates are flying past me. Although I knew I was being smart and I could not jump into the level of training I should be doing otherwise, I was embarrassed or self-conscious when I could not complete the same number of repeats or loops as everyone else.

     When TVRAA arrived and I began competing against other hopeful athletes throughout the high school season, I continued to voice that I was currently building my strength back up during my recovery – especially in and around my event when I knew I wouldn’t achieve what others may expect of me based on previous years. However, I kept in mind that I was racing for myself. I was only trying to achieve season PBs and lower my times each race, and how I placed amongst the other girls did not matter. The track season became more self-rewarding than it was about collecting actual awards. I continued to improve as the weeks went on and the competition continued.

     I didn’t make it past OFSAA West Regionals in either of my events; however I lowered my season 1500m time even more and ran a similar time to my season PB in the 3000m. That was enough for me to declare that my last high school track season had ended on a positive note.

     Nothing works out the way we planned. We just have to make sure that we’re working to achieve our own goals, rather than aiming to achieve the same as everyone else. I can feel my strength building back, and I know that every day I’m healthy is another day closer to achieving my own goals. This track season is not impossible as I had originally thought. It’s just as Audrey Hepburn says: Nothing is impossible. Even the word itself says I’m possible!