on track

i took a wrong turn today and ended up driving around a local high school where i caught sight of the sports field, and most importantly, the track.  it looked new and untouched, the red lanes glistening under the sun, ready for eager feet.  seeing it reminded me of my own track days, as track was my primary sport from middle school through high school.  i remember buying my first set of "spikes," setting up my blocks at the start of a race, the adrenaline that pulsed through me once the sound of the gun went off, and the cheers from my teammates and coaches at the finish line.  i remember practicing the passing of the baton for our relays, hill days (which were our roughest practices), sitting with friends in the field at the center of the track listening for results between races.  i remember that even when i moved in the middle of high school, track had been there for me, the single thing i was looking forward to being a part of, the one sure thing that had provided me comfort at the time.  i remember how proud i was when i made varsity, but mostly that i was on a team that really felt like a team, a group that had energy and camaraderie and heart.

it's crazy that a brief image of something familiar can evoke such vivid memories.