A Little Coaching
I always felt nervous about the running race. I was too thin to be an athlete. So when our class needed a1in the two-mile race around the lake, l hoped 2would notice me.
I hid under a3when our teacher Bronto called the names of the runners. I got more nervous when I heard, "Noah! Where's Noah? He's in this race!"
He saw me under the tree and shouted, "Noah, we 4 a boy to run the two-mile race. "He pushed me to the starting line. I pleaded(恳求)with him. ""I don't know the way around the lake!"
"It's not a problem. Just5Craig and you'll know the way. "Bronto smiled. Craig was the fastest runner in our class. Then Bronto said, "For the last hundred meters, 6throw your head back and run."
l stood next to Craig and trembled (颤抖). Then I heard the gun and sixteen of us started to run. I ran 7behind Craig.
But gradually (渐渐地), the distance between Craig and me became wider.
It was8. I felt very tired. My energy was spent. I was about. to9. But then I looked ahead and10only three boys were in front of me. The crowd was shouting, but I could hear Bronto shouting, "Run!"
l threw my head back and told my legs to go. I never looked ahead and I never looked back for those last hundred meters. I felt11. Nobody was telling me what I was, or what I wasn't. My legs were running a race against my brain and I was winning!
I didn't know when I crossed the finish line. Bronto caught me and shouted," You flew! You flew, man!12! You passed two boys!"
However, the best prize that I got was 13. That year I discovered I could do a lot of things14I believed in myself and put my energy into them.
I never got to say goodbye to Bronto right after the race. But later, I saw him over the lake. He was coaching another kid. I had no15that the kid was also going to win.
