Today we held our first time trial to see who is going to be on varsity for the first meet. I've been training all summer for this moment, and I felt I finally had it to rise from JV and onto Varsity. I had run a 17:10 3 weeks prior, so I felt pretty confident going in. I know I wasn't overtrained, I didn't feel tired physically or mentally. I even took last week easy, one tempo run.
I show up at the school grounds and lots of kids are there. 3 kids from varsity last year had graduated, and I was the top JV runner from last year, so I knew I had a spot waiting for me. I see my JV and varsity friends, we joke around saying all these soccer kids don't know what they are in for etc. Coach tells us to run the 5k course around the school neighborhood. He starts his timer and yells out GO.
Race goes off and I know I have this in the bag. A 17:10 would have been good enough for 7th spot on varsity last year and 3 dudes from varsity are gone. After a mile, a group of 12 kids or so are at 5:15 for the first mile, 4 varsity runners from last year, 4 of my fellow JV runners, and 4 soccer players. I'm surprised the soccer dudes have lasted this long, but I give them another mile tops before they die off.
Second mile comes along and we're in 2 groups. 3 varsity kids are about 5 seconds ahead of us. My group consists of 1 varsity dude, me, 2 JV kids, and 2 soccer guys and we're at 10:41 for the 2 mile. A little quick for my taste, but I'm still going strong. I'm thinking how the fvck these soccer guys are still with us and how the fvck my fellow JV runners are keeping up with me. I focus on the varsity guy in our group and keep chugging along.
About 800 meters till the finish and My group has split into 2 groups, making 3 top groups total. The top group consisting of the varsity runners are about 15 seconds ahead of us. The second group consists of me, a SOCCER GUY and 1 varsity and 1 JV guy. The third group is about 5 seconds behind us and consists of a soccer guy and a JV guy. We're at 14:09 and I'm honestly astonished that I'm going to PR and these kids are still with me. Suddenly the varsity and JV guy start pulling away from me. I contemplate going with them, but I'm honestly pushing as hard as I can right now and I can't pick it up. They pull away and it's just me and soccer guy.
400 meters left and I know that I have at least 6th place secured right now if I don't let up. I can't catch the other 2 groups at this point, but I just have to hold on. I'm also fvcking pissed at this point because I've trained all damn summer for this race and I'm disappointed I wasn't in the first group and I even let another JV guy beat me. But I'm not about to give up. No damn way I'm letting this soccer guy beat me. I turn back to see the other group, they are about 3 seconds back. To fvcking close for my taste, so I start sprinting. 100 meters left and my spot on varsity is in reach. The soccer guy sprints past me and I just look at him in awe, I can't sprint faster and I can't catch him. I'm in seventh. I have to hold on. 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 meters left and ANOTHER FVCKING SOCCER GUY passes me and gets the last spot. I cross the finish line and go down on my knees. Coach comes over to me and tells me I ran a 16:58 and that I improved dramatically from last year. Here's the part where it gets kinda crazy...
Immediately after hearing that, I jolt up and tell him, " for fvcking what? To be the top JV runner once again? That's like saying I'm the king of fvcking manlets! Some soccer dudes show up and 2 of them FVCKING BEAT ME. I've been running since 7th grade and they just waltz up in here and beat me." I grab the gatorade bottles filled with water and start punting them across the field. I kick the water cooler down from the truck, get my backpack and get the hell out of there. I definitely overreacted, but I don't care at this point. I'm done with this $hitty sport. It's done nothing for me but made me a bitter, skinny man.