Pre-MAACs Thoughts

Again, tonight couldn't have ended on a better note.

I had the pleasure of watching some friends perform at the International Song & Dance concert at school this evening.

I mean, how often do you get to see a German do an Indo-Pakistani dance?

I was really surprised and wowed at how much hidden talent walks by me on campus on a daily basis. People whom you never knew had the penchant for singing suddenly bursting out in glorious song on stage!

Yet although every performance was good, not every one of them was entertaining. It made me realise how tough of a job it is to keep people entertained. Props to all stage performers who can hold their own in a crowd of attention-deficit people!

After the concert, we were treated to a buffet of international deserts. Being that tomorrow was our MAAC championships, I only had a small piece of Balaclava (sweet Greek nutty dessert) and a tiny creampuff.

We ended the night going crazy with the helium balloons that were tied to our chairs. I laughed so much until I cried and almost peed my tights!

Boy, I'm really going to miss these moments when I graduate. Laughter is definitely medicine for the soul. I felt so lightheaded (in a good way) on the way home; as if I could fly up to the clouds like those little balloons...

Anyway, tomorrow will finally be the day of our much anticipated MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) Indoor Championships. For those of you who don't know, it is considered one of, if not the most important track meet at the end of every season.

There are three seasons for track in a year- Cross Country in the fall, Indoor season in the winter and Outdoor season in the spring. In the summer we are not in school so there's no track. I generally race all three seasons, but most people on the team are only involved in Indoor and Outdoor. Only the long distance runners do all three seasons. After tomorrow's Indoor MAAC Championships, Outdoor season for track will begin.

So apparently, this year we've got a pretty good chance of winning MAACs on the women's side. Our steady competitor has always been Manhattan College and our coach likes to play up the whole politics of it. But as far as I can see, track is still an individual sport. If someone wins an event, it's all based on their own effort, not the team's effort. But to be sure, if we can score points as a team and win, that'll be great.

However I'm still not sure how I feel about tomorrow because Indoor season has never been my favourite season. I've always felt miserable during Indoor because we run on an indoor track which is half the size of your regular 400m outdoor track. That means that the curves are sharper and I can always feel my shins killing me as I sprint around them. This winter is no different...

The only problem is that while everyone else has a personal goal for tomorrow, I don't really have one because I feel insufficiently prepared to even have a goal. And to go into a race without any passion or drive is really bad because that means that I won't be prone to push myself beyond my mental limits when racing gets tough and my whole body is screaming at me to stop.

Even praying about tomorrow is hard for me because I don't know what's the point of me giving my best since I am not confident of getting a personal record or any points for the team.

Why am I running? For what?

I don't know.

Dear God, I hardly ever genuinely entrust my track activities to You, but this year I've come to realise that You should be present in my every endeavor. You know my weaknesses of mind and of body, but I just ask that You will cover them with Your strength and fill me with confidence- for you gave me a spirit of courage and not of fear. If I am to run tomorrow Lord, help me to do it for Your glory oh God. Help me to understand what that means in my heart and may Your hand be upon me at all times. Please go ahead of me and make my paths smooth tomorrow. I entrust all things to You tomorrow. Thank You for always being there when I need You the most! Amen.