Chapter 8
Later that evening, Olivia paced on the empty track and waited for her aunt to arrive. Every few seconds, she bent over to touch her toes or hopped up and down a few times, trying to stay loose.
Olivia wasn’t really sure Aunt Naomi’s plan would help. But she didn’t have any better ideas.
Anything is better than dropping out of the race, Olivia thought.
Just then, Olivia heard footsteps. She looked up to see her aunt jogging toward her. “Hi,” Aunt Naomi said as she slowed to a stop. “Are you ready for this?”
Olivia nodded. “Yep, I already stretched,” she said.
Aunt Naomi pressed a button on her watch. “I talked to your coach,” she said. “He said the winning time for the 3200 today was eleven minutes, five seconds. Let’s try to match that, or at least come close.”
“But what about the way I always tense up before the race?” Olivia asked, frowning. “Practicing isn’t going to help with that.”
“Actually, I think it might,” her aunt said. “You tense up because you’re afraid of coming in last, right?”
“Right,” Olivia said.
“So, practicing with me could help,” Aunt Naomi said. “There won’t be any pressure. If you can do it now, you’ll know you can do it at the meet. If you can’t keep up the pace, then we’ll figure out a plan B.”
Olivia nodded. Her aunt’s plan sounded reasonable. Maybe it would even work.
“Okay,” Olivia said. “It’s worth a try.”
“Ready?” Aunt Naomi asked.
“I guess,” Olivia said.
Her aunt pressed the start button on her watch, and the two of them took off down the track. Olivia waited for the tension to come. But it didn’t happen.
Maybe it’s just because there’s no one else around, she thought.
“How does this pace feel so far?” Aunt Naomi asked as they rounded the bend in the track.
Olivia listened to her own steady breathing. Her legs felt strong. “Not bad,” she said. First lap completed.
Aunt Naomi glanced at her watch. “Well, this is exactly the winning pace for the last race you ran — or almost ran,” she said. “So we know you can do it.”
“It feels so different than it did during the race,” Olivia said.
Aunt Naomi looked over, running easily. “I think it feels so different because you haven’t psyched yourself out,” she said. “You’ve always been able to run this pace. It was your fear that was getting in the way.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Olivia said thoughtfully.
Olivia and Aunt Naomi ran on pace for the rest of the distance. Olivia was so relaxed that she almost forgot to count the laps. She couldn’t believe what a difference running with her aunt made. She was actually having fun. And she didn’t feel any of the panic she’d felt during the race earlier.
When they reached the finish line, Olivia and Aunt Naomi slowed and came to a stop.
“Whew! That’s the winning pace. You did it,” Aunt Naomi said, wiping her forehead. “It’s been a long time since I’ve run that distance. Come on, let’s walk for a few minutes to cool down.”
They walked in silence for a bit, breathing deeply. Finally, Aunt Naomi broke the quiet. “So, how do you feel?” she asked.
“I actually feel okay,” Olivia replied as they circled the track. Her muscles felt exercised but not exhausted. And her legs still felt strong. A little bubble of hope began to rise in her chest. “Now if I can just hold on to this feeling at the next meet, I’ll be all set.”