Cramps

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here. The first meet did not go well for me. I did not get good stretches in before my first event, and I wasn't drinking enough and I was pushing way too hard and therefore I got a really bad thigh cramp and collapsed in pain as my thigh felt like it was on fire. I wanted to push through but my leg had other things in mind. It would not calm down and I ended up having to be carted back to base camp against my better will. I wanted to slowly walk over there because I thought moving it would be good but the athletic trainer said that I was so tense at that time that walking could cause me to tear something and then I would be out for the rest of the season and not this meet only.
        To keep me distracted she kept on asking me the randomest of things like what school I go to, what grade I am in, what we are learning, and what I like to do. She also asked me what my name was. I was shocked by how nice the other teams were to me about it but also shocked at how some people on my own team were acting about it. I mean yelling at me to quit because I always hurt myself, okay, no I came into this season with an unclear concussion. I knew what I could do and couldn't do. That wasn't an injury and this was just a freak thing because I didn't do things well enough to make sure that I was safe from issues. Help didn't come until like half the runners were finished, and I was sitting there screaming out in pain with everyone watching me. It was weird, and I looked stupid I just know it.
          The first person to show up was a guy. He touched me on the shoulder and I looked up. He asked me what had happened and I said that my left leg felt like it was on fire in the thigh area. He said that this was one for the athletic trainer, and she came quick. She asked me what had happened, and I said that I felt tight at the starting line but thought nothing of it but when I got to the goal it got worse until I made it here and it was on fire. She started to massage my leg and that felt really good. She just said I was really tight and had a bad cramp. Nothing to worry about but something that I should rest for today, and use ice on and drink water too. I told her that I didn't stretch since I was late checking in for this event and she said that was also part of it. I was still crying but now it was because I didn't finish this and that was bad news for my team.
             They were ready to start the second heat of the same race, so they moved me off of the track all the while with me wincing in pain. I wanted to walk back to base camp but this guy pretty much made me sit on the back of the gator because he was blocking my way. I had to imagine how stupid it probably looked, but it hurt and is something I never want to go back too. I have learned my lesson no matter how late you show up to a running event you should always take the time to stretch because a little bit is better than nothing. I rode the gator back to base camp and plopped down. The coach came and got ice out of the go bag and gave it to me.
               I broke it and stayed down a little while longer and then I was getting stir crazy so I had someone tape the bag to my leg where the bothersome spot was. I was still tight, but the fire sensation had stopped so that was a good thing. I bent my leg a little bit as I walked to ease myself into loosening it up. It felt nice. It was also nice because I could go down and wherever to cheer on my team. I called my parents to let them know that I was hurt and they were scared, and I just said that it was a bad cramp and nothing too bad. I said that my leg did feel like it was on fire so I went down and got a ride back to base camp on the cart. I'm looking to be back on Tuesday with a good stretch in it and the proper hydration to blow them away. I want to show my team that I can do this. I want to show them the real runner in me even though track is nothing like cross country. Wish me luck!