what they say about the young// open
Oct 5, 2013 15:29:17 GMT -5
Post by Raseri on Oct 5, 2013 15:29:17 GMT -5
| [atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i44.tinypic.com/34j7ggo.jpg); border: 161216 solid 3px; width: 179px; padding: 5 5 5 5px; border-radius: 10px 10px 10px 10px;] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,5,true][atrb=cellPadding,5,true][atrb=style, background-color: 161216; border: 271e1e solid 0px; width: 330px; padding: 5 5 5 5px; border-radius: 10px 10px 10px 10px;] a v e r y t h r u s h . |
Whoosh.
My feet hit swiftly and quietly against the pavement, tapping out a staccato rhythm to the metronome of my breathing. In, two. Out, four. In, two. Out, four. Breathing, Sabian says, is one of the most important things to learn when sprinting long distances. Matching your inhalations and exhalations with your steps, cycling oxygen like an engine to keep your muscles going even when it starts to hurt and you just want to stop and sit down. ”You’ll only get stronger when you push a little longer,” that’s our motto. Your muscles only grow when they’re repairing. Your calluses only get harder when you work them harder.
The tree that I had marked as my 400-meter point slowly faded into view, its tall branches breaching the morning fog to raise their leaves to me in silent salute. Just a few more seconds. Lengthening my stride, I kicked it into gear, giving the home stretch all I had to give. The road blurred beneath me as my shoes flew over it, and for a moment, my body no longer held a girl within its limits. It was a train carrying a tribute into the sparkling city of the Capitol, speeding down the track to her victory.
Click. As I zoomed past the finish line, my finger pressed into the button of my stopwatch, locking in my time. Four digits, 49.67 seconds, looked back at me from the tiny screen, waiting for approval. I smiled back at them through heavy breaths, slowing my pace to a brisk walk. Not bad, I thought. My best this week was about 50.2, so I was improving. Slowly, maybe, but improving nonetheless. I let the stopwatch drop back to my chest where it hung from a cord around my neck, freeing my hands so I could link them together behind my head. Deep breaths, I told myself.
After walking further down the road, I came across a cobblestone wall, about five feet high. I reached up to the top and felt around for a handhold, grasping at a rock that stuck out a little too far and then digging the toe of my left sneaker into a gap in the cement. In one quick movement, I hoisted myself up and swung my right knee on top of the barrier, then turned and plopped my butt down on the smooth stones. Much better than your average park bench, I reflected with a little smile, indolently kicking my legs against the wall so my shoes made thudding noises, just like when I was little and mom would tell me to stop kicking my chair under the dinner table.
My stomach rumbled noisily, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten breakfast. It was probably about eight o’clock now, the sun having risen and started on its daily way to the top of the sky. This was my favorite time to run on a Saturday, when everything was calm and quiet, and the rest of the District was taking advantage of the opportunity to sleep in. Me, I’d rather take advantage of the opportunity to get things done.Extra sleep was overrated; you only needed a certain amount of it in order to function. I wasn’t going to lay around in bed all day when I could be improving myself.
I swung my drawstring backpack off of my back and un-cinched it, then reached my hand in and fished around for the sandwich I’d packed. Wheat bread and peanut butter with grape jelly. I liked turkey better, but this was alright too. As I took my first bite, I thought I heard footsteps coming towards me. Straightening up and swallowing, I peered down the road, wondering who else could be up and at it this morning.
one
two
three
four
five
[/center][/i][/b][/font][/font][/font][/font][/font]
{sorry this was a bit longer than I'd wanted it xD}
[/justify][/size][/td][/tr][/left][/table][/center]
