1Istartedtoloverunningatayoungage
Iloveto1myfatherandmysisteraroundthebackyard
Icouldn’t2untilIgotoldersoIcouldrunintheOlympicsandwinlotsof3
Onedaymymothersawa(n)4foraraceinanewspaper
“Wouldyoube5inenteringthisrace
”sheaskedme
“Yes,ofcourse,”Ianswered
Ispentthenextfewdayspracticingformybigrace
Mysister6atableinthebackyardsoshecouldsupplymewithwaterand7me
Justbeforetheracebegan,mydad8inmyear,“Don’tuseupallyourenergyatthebeginningoftherace
Youneedtohaveenergy9youcanspeedupattheend
”Followingdad’sadvice,Ididn’tranas10asIcould
Thentheotherrunnersstartedpassingme,whichmademe11
Ibegantofeeltired,andstartedslowingdownand12harder
“Comeon,Kelly
Youcandoit
Keeprunning
”Outofthecornerofmy13IsawDadrunningbesidemearoundtheoutsideofthetrack
“Ican’tdoit
”I14tosay
“Yes,youcan
Don’tgiveup,keeprunning,”heca