Uphill Run

         Jaime spent three months training after school for his first 4.5 mile race.  He alternated between walking and running until he could run almost 3.5 miles straight.  The problem was the hill.  It’s a hill that should be called a mountain because it was so steep.  From the ground, he couldn’t see the top of it.  The mountain was in the last mile of the race.

         When he got to the mountain, he’d be huffing and puffing.  His sides would ache and he didn’t believe he could run up it.  He’d quit a quarter of the way and walked it with sore legs.  He hated giving up because he always left things unfinished in the past.  He wanted to change.

         It was the morning of the race day.  Clouds hid the sun and Jaime jogged in place behind a crowd at the start line.  His breaths came out in foggy puffs and he rubbed his hands together to keep them warm.  He wanted to complete this race to prove that he wasn’t a quitter.  The starter gun went off with a bang and he set off at an easy pace.  His sneakers hit the ground and his breathing was steady.

         After the half way point, he was breathing harder and sweat dripped from his forehead.  He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his chest.  His ankles were aching and he slowed down.  He reminded himself he could do this.  He spent months training for this.

         He made a right turn and saw the mountain.  The mountain was green and the sun broke through the clouds.  He shielded his eyes and leaned forward.  One way to go and that was up.  He was running and his breathing became gasps.  He was only a quarter a way up when he got a stitch in his right side.  He wanted to quit.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a skinny, dark-haired man run passed him uphill.  If this man could do this, so could he. 

         Jaime pumped his arms, swinging them at his sides.  He was halfway to defeating this mountain.  His legs burned.  Taking in a deep breath, he slowed to a jog.  He dug his sneakers into the grass.  When was this going to end?  He wiped the sweat away from his eyebrows with the back of his hand.

         He could finally see the top of the hill, the clear blue skies, and the large white banner with the big black letters:  FINISH. 

         Jaime was now running on flat land against cold wind, breathing heavy and feeling tired.  He heard the crowd clapping and cheering.  He was almost there.  He felt a burst of energy and sped toward the finish line.  It didn’t matter what time he got.  He completed his first race against that hill.

         Jaime signed up for a second race.  This time it didn’t have one hill, but two.