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It was a scorching 106 degrees on race day, 

with barely any wind or clouds in the sky to 

shield my skin from the burning sun.   As my 

mom and I left the University of Oregon dorm 

that we had rented for the weekend, I knew 

that the sun and heat were the least of my 

worries. I had been training for this day for 

years.  

My dream of making it to the Junior Olympics had 

come true!   In a couple hours, I would be 

stepping onto the track to show off all my hard 

work. At the end of the day, I wanted to be 

known as the fastest 10 year old in the 400 meter 

(1 lap) and 800 meter (2 laps) events.

My love for running 

began as soon as I was 

physically able - around 

the age of 2.   Whether I 

was running around the 

house in diapers or 

having races in my 

backyard with neighbors, 

I always seemed to be 

running.    It was 

something I enjoyed and 

was good at.

When I was in first grade my parents 

recognized my passion for running and signed 

me up for a youth track team at the local 

middle school.   I had friends that joined the 

team as well, which made every practice fun 

and exciting.

My friends and I all started off in the beginner 

classes and played games most of the time 

during practices.   We quickly advanced to the 

harder and more organized classes once our 

coach saw our natural running ability.  

I enjoyed practicing and being able to see improvement 

in my times, even if I didn't win races.   With consistent 

practice and commitment to the sport, I started to 

become more competitive.   Although I enjoyed 

improving my times, it felt good to win too!

I ran so much and so often that summer that I 

fractured a growth plate in my heel.   I had to take 

some time off for the bone to recover, but I never 

lost my passion for running.  

Each year I improved my skills and learned 

tips that helped me to become a faster runner. 

My coach taught me things like proper 

breathing methods and acceptable paces for 

different events. 

In 2004 as a fourth grade 

student I was practicing with the 

Oxford high school cross country 

team.   Together, with the help of 

coaches, trainers, and my 

teammates, I made big strides 

and significantly improved my 

times.   I was able to place 3rd in 

the region and 3rd in the state 

that year in order to qualify for 

Junior Olympics in Eugene, 

Oregon.

In less than 16 days I 

would be leaving my 

small town of Oxford, 

Michigan to fly to 

Oregon.   Everything 

was happening so 

fast that I almost 

couldn't believe it.  

My excitement was 

through the roof!

Since the trip was unexpected 

and expensive, my parents 

said that I would only be able 

to go if I could raise enough 

money to cover the flight 

expenses.   Through donations 

from local businesses, family, 

and friends I was able to raise 

enough money to go.   I even 

received support from the 

local newspaper after they 

interviewed my mom and I. 

I was so excited and the days leading up to the 

flight seemed like years!   All I could think 

about was the race.   Although I was more 

excited than I had ever been before, I tried my 

best to stay focused.   I got all the tips I could 

from my personal trainer, German, and 

continued to run about six miles every other 

day. 

The day of the flight had finally arrived and I 

was as ready as I ever would be!   My mom 

and I departed from the Detroit airport and 

landed in Oregon later that day.   I had never 

been out of Michigan and was amazed at how 

beautiful the Oregon landscape was.   I will 

never forget the stunning mountains and 

seeing the vast North Pacific Ocean.

After landing, we rented a car and drove to the 

University of Oregon, who was sponsoring the 

event.   The campus was gorgeous and packed 

with other track and field contestants.   After 

finding our dorm on campus my mom and I 

unloaded our luggage.   We finished the day off by 

eating in the cafeteria then headed back to the 

dorm to sleep.   Tomorrow was the big day!

We woke up the next morning after a pretty good 

night's sleep and headed over to get breakfast in the 

cafeteria. It was exhilarating seeing everyone 

bustling around campus and getting ready for their 

events.   I started to get nervous as I realized I would 

be running in only a few short hours.

My first event of the day 

was the 400 meter.  

About thirty minutes 

before the race I started 

to warm up, even 

though it was 106 

degrees and I was 

already sweating.   I was 

nervous and my legs 

were visibly shaking.   I 

had never run in front of 

thousands of people 

before. 

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