Track Fan

On Saturday I left my couch. ”Big deal,” you say? Actually, yes. It’s a very big deal. My couch had a permanent indentation of my exact body mold because I have not moved from the same spot in weeks. I spend my days there, I sleep there, and I eat my meals there. My couch and I have become one. Thank God it is a comfortable couch. Well, God and Craigslist I suppose.

The Pac-10 championships were held at Arizona State University this past weekend. At first I thought it wouldn’t be such a hot idea. I like watching track most of the time, but maybe not so much when I can’t do anything myself. Like being on a diet and then just staring at a box of Sprinkles cupcakes. Torture, right? Not to mention the obvious questions that would be thrown my way. How are you? How’s training? Oh you’re injured…what happened? You’re going to be ok for Trials though, right? It just so happens that I heard that verbatim about 50 times. And of course I gave all the right answers even though what I really was thinking was, “Duh. You see me hobbling around with a wrap on my knee and about as small as an Ethiopian distance runner…OF COURSE I’M NOT OK!!!” I’m kidding. I probably would still have to lose about 10 more pounds.

But honestly, it was good to get out of the house and I enjoyed watching the meet. I think it’s a little easier being that it was a college meet and so I didn’t have to envision myself out there per say. My college days are waaaaay in the past and it’s been many, many years since I’ve had the honor of calling myself a Pac-10 champion and being named Pac-10 athlete of the year. Oh wait…did you hear that? That horn tooting in the background? Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. It’s hard to find things to cheer myself up these days so I just figured I would live in the past for a second. But I do miss those days when track was less pressure and less stress and you could be part of a team and it just seemed fun. That Brianna with Arizona across her chest is the athlete that I am still trying to get back to. So I definitely enjoyed being a fan and being part of that atmosphere again because sometimes you just need to be reminded what made you decide to live this life and have this career in the first place.