The Final Race

Late summer sun and buckets of sweat
Enthusiasm of a new season leads the way
All legs and lungs and potential
Propel runners through the early days

Hopes and dreams still unchallenged
There are no limits – yet
Camaraderie and spirit and dedication
The team’s mantra has been set

Day on day the sole sisters
Pound miles of path and tar
Aches and fatigue and bags of ice
And still its clear how they’ve come far

A season full of testing talents
Moving on to greater height
Striving and pushing and seeking success
Till now it is the final night

Tomorrow it will be over
This is preparation’s final chance
Worry and hope and pre-meet ritual
Getting ready for the state meet dance

The special meal and final check
Of travel bag to see it’s done
Uniform, spikes and cold day gear
Must also make this lifetime run

Mentally running the meet
The mind will have to guide the feet
Start and hill and finishing kick
Ready not to see defeat

Imagine standing on the line
Two hundred of the very best
Poised and tense and ready to go
This is the group that you must test

A gun goes off out you go
Across the field of crowd and noise
Shoved and elbowed and sprinting out
Running hard but keeping poise

Established near the lead pack
Settling in but on the pace
Heart and mind and team support
All tell you this will be your race

Today they’ll be no holding back
Past the mile and toward the hill
Steep, and slick and crowded but
Bear Hill can’t shake your mental will

Flowing down the other side
Breathing hard and feeling great
Past cheers and screams and coach’s watch
Still in control of your own fate

Two miles down and one to go
“Wilderness Loop” looms out ahead
Training and will and concentration
Will carry you through this quiet dread

Today is yours to take the reins
In charge all through the woods
Leaves and wind and gentle breeze
Running fast, life is so good.

Never giving in to voices
Telling you its time to slack
Fear and failure and fatigue
Are feelings for the other pack

Out you go onto the field
One lap left to your year
Sweat and pride and friendships
Are the things you’ll cherish here

Up the incline toward the line
The end is getting close
Cheers and tears and handshakes
You will get in double dose

In the end you have the best race
That you have ever run
But team stretch and talks and workouts
Are unfortunately done

You’ll remember every day
That went to getting here
Arco and Spring and Industrial Park
All words that you’ll keep dear

Mystery runs and the Big Apple
Diamond Hill and 6X8
Made you toned and honed and hardened
And a runner that’s first rate

You could wear the red and white
With the greatest of North Pride
To Stoughton and Mansfield and Borderland
With your friends you made the ride

So tonight you’ll think about it
Getting ready for the race
Competition and challenges and your own doubts
Are now things you love to face

Enjoy the ride tomorrow
And each step along the way
Run, have fun, and good luck
Are all I have left to say

Dwight Estey

As read to the team at the end of practice the day before the Class B meet in 2001