The First Outdoor Track Meet of the Season
Well it's the first outdoor track meet of the season for our sophomore daughter and typical Wisconsin weather is calling for 3 -5 inches of snow. Now, mind you, the snow's not supposed to start coming down until about 8 PM and so I'm presuming they'll try to get this triangular meet off the ground. It will be cold and I'll have gloves, mittens, hats, boots, etc. on. Lakeside is running against Beaver Dam public (our home town) and Portage public. The meet is being held in Portage (about a 35 mile hike).
I remember last year's first outdoor meet......no predictions of snow and yet cold and very windy. The meet was in Beaver Dam last year and I vividly recall my mom, my dad and my sister Peggy coming to witness Stef's very first track meet of her high school career. It was her first time ever running the 300m low hurdles. They were bundled in winter clothes and huddled in blankets. My dad had on his navy blue parka and you could hardly see him with his hood up. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach when they called, "Final call for girls' 300m low hurdles." It was like yesterday when I ran the hurdles back in highschool and those feelings NEVER go away for me. I wondered what Dad was thinking as he watched his oldest grandchild run that race. I wondered if he was taken back 26 years in his mind as he recalled watching me run those hurdles. I can still see him standing at the track meets in his orange Tracy & Sons spring jacket. His hair wasn't as gray and he wasn't as slight. His arms were usually folded across his chest and he had the seriousness on his face that I remember so well. I'd come over to him for the usual father/daughter pep talk and he'd always take one arm and put it on my shoulder while keeping the other arm folded across his chest and he'd look me in the eyes and say, "Mare, run your race....you'll do great!" And off I'd go.
The race I remember the most was the final race of the season at the State Track Meet at Mansfield Stadium in Madison, WI. I was a junior in highschool and that year was under the tutelage of a phy ed intern who, himself, had been a highschool state champion high hurdler. He took me under his wings and mentored me one on one. I learned so much from that man....he had me read Jonathan Livingston Seagull during the season, he had me visual a perfect race in my mind, he encouraged me and developed me into a top notch 200m hurdler. The last race was the race of my life....until the last hurdle.....I took my eye off my goal, saw myself in 2nd place and my steps were off and I stepped through the last hurdle and fell to the track in front of a crowd of 8000 people. My instincts told me to get up and finish the race. I did. The last time I saw my coach was when he walked away as my family was hugging and consoling me. I never thought to really thank him....I was a junior in highschool at the time. But his lessons stuck with me and were a part of who I am. I finally, about 20 years later, found him. He was teaching in Madison.....I went personally to thank him. And that was the last time I saw him.....he died an untimely death at 40 years old. I'm thankful that I got to personally thank him for what he gave me.
The other man that mentored me was my dad. After that same race he came up to me and in his usual serious tone, put one arm on my shoulder and said, "Mary, I was never more proud of you then when you got up and finished the race." A tear streamed down his face as he said that. The only other time I saw a tear stream down his face was on my wedding day. My dad was a lot like that phy ed intern who mentored me.....I was taught so much by what I caught from Dad. His character, his work ethic and the way he showed love for his family. I miss you, Dad.
Today more than other days. I'll think of you as Stef runs her race. And, hopefully I'll impart wisdom to her like you imparted wisdom to me. You were a great Dad......a really great Dad.
I remember last year's first outdoor meet......no predictions of snow and yet cold and very windy. The meet was in Beaver Dam last year and I vividly recall my mom, my dad and my sister Peggy coming to witness Stef's very first track meet of her high school career. It was her first time ever running the 300m low hurdles. They were bundled in winter clothes and huddled in blankets. My dad had on his navy blue parka and you could hardly see him with his hood up. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach when they called, "Final call for girls' 300m low hurdles." It was like yesterday when I ran the hurdles back in highschool and those feelings NEVER go away for me. I wondered what Dad was thinking as he watched his oldest grandchild run that race. I wondered if he was taken back 26 years in his mind as he recalled watching me run those hurdles. I can still see him standing at the track meets in his orange Tracy & Sons spring jacket. His hair wasn't as gray and he wasn't as slight. His arms were usually folded across his chest and he had the seriousness on his face that I remember so well. I'd come over to him for the usual father/daughter pep talk and he'd always take one arm and put it on my shoulder while keeping the other arm folded across his chest and he'd look me in the eyes and say, "Mare, run your race....you'll do great!" And off I'd go.
The race I remember the most was the final race of the season at the State Track Meet at Mansfield Stadium in Madison, WI. I was a junior in highschool and that year was under the tutelage of a phy ed intern who, himself, had been a highschool state champion high hurdler. He took me under his wings and mentored me one on one. I learned so much from that man....he had me read Jonathan Livingston Seagull during the season, he had me visual a perfect race in my mind, he encouraged me and developed me into a top notch 200m hurdler. The last race was the race of my life....until the last hurdle.....I took my eye off my goal, saw myself in 2nd place and my steps were off and I stepped through the last hurdle and fell to the track in front of a crowd of 8000 people. My instincts told me to get up and finish the race. I did. The last time I saw my coach was when he walked away as my family was hugging and consoling me. I never thought to really thank him....I was a junior in highschool at the time. But his lessons stuck with me and were a part of who I am. I finally, about 20 years later, found him. He was teaching in Madison.....I went personally to thank him. And that was the last time I saw him.....he died an untimely death at 40 years old. I'm thankful that I got to personally thank him for what he gave me.
The other man that mentored me was my dad. After that same race he came up to me and in his usual serious tone, put one arm on my shoulder and said, "Mary, I was never more proud of you then when you got up and finished the race." A tear streamed down his face as he said that. The only other time I saw a tear stream down his face was on my wedding day. My dad was a lot like that phy ed intern who mentored me.....I was taught so much by what I caught from Dad. His character, his work ethic and the way he showed love for his family. I miss you, Dad.
Today more than other days. I'll think of you as Stef runs her race. And, hopefully I'll impart wisdom to her like you imparted wisdom to me. You were a great Dad......a really great Dad.
posted by Million Dollar Mary at 5:19 AM
2 Comments:
You have got to report on each and every track meet. Stef does such a good job with her running and hurdles.!!!!
Mom
Who'll feed the birds? err...who'll feed the cats? *lol*
Peggy :)
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