Journey To The JO’s.. What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas

 See Results Here

With a few days of recovery under my belt  I am now ready to talk about what I am sure was just about the HOTTEST Regional meet in the country. The region 15 regional  meet was hot in several ways ,temperature and performances. Our region hasn’t published the results yet and if it wasn’t 111 degrees YES, 111 on Sunday’s finals, I may have been able to take a short walk to the results books but breathing was about all I could do along with watching some great track action and  drama.

I have to admit this round my own kid was involved in the high drama and it was in my humble TrackMom opinion one of Lauren’s highest points of her 4 year track participation (can one really say “track career” when the athlete is only 10 years old???) You may wonder why I chose  to share this experience with you ..Simple, If it hasn’t happen to you yet, it just may  in the future in some form or fashion.

Keeping it real these experiences can be tough and we parents need to know we share similar emotions and feelings as we traverse the youth track and field universe which for some, just may be the Elite World Track and Field Universe .             

“ Fore Warned Is Fore Armed”….

Here is my TrackMom story in the only words I have..My Own

Picture this….Midget girls 100m finals down on the line ready….. set…. False start (Darn! Lauren start was so good…Next, down on the line again……. SEEEEETTTTT……. OOOOOOH……. What the heck! Two steps out (video confirmed this assessment of the event clearly) Where is?? Lauren almost on the ground?? Tripped out of the blocks and within 12 meters into the race she is in 6th place OH NO my heart pounds my voice raises to a frantic scream my face transforms to a puzzled,confused stare…Lauren crosses the line in, well I wasn’t sure at the time, my vantage point was horrible, but shortly there after a confirmed 3rd place and a Bronze just as good as Gold to me. The ticket to the Junior Olympics in Sacramento California.

My first though immediately was is she okay , why is she on the track kneeled down in a small ball??? I hurry over to the finish line area and she is now under the first aid tent with my sister (AKA MOMMA #2) so I knew she was in good hands and I didn’t want to add to confusion so I stayed behind the fence watching her come back toward the stands. Henry met me there. 

I decide to walk to the area where were sitting  and meet up with her there. Henry stayed to walk andtalk with her. I figured that in this moment she needed coach first mom next. My sister reports she was hyper-ventilating and just not sure of the results. As I walked back many, many people stopped me to say good job by Lauren,that she had tremendous guts to continue on with the race and also most important to the track fan, ultimately ask exactly  what place she took. I totally get that and okay with it too.

I really was most concerned that she knew undoubtedly I was proud of her, right after I knew she was physically okay. With both of those must do’s out of the way and a big hug…She sat down and had something to drink and just sat for a while not talking much,  sitting with herself and her thoughts…I saw this same expression of self processing of the event when she was 8yrs old at the 2007 AAU qualifying first round when she was a primary. About five or so meters from the finish line she fell down got up in tears but manged some how to come in a saving grace and with at least a one second delay, was the time recorded for her. Next round she had lane 9 and the 3rd slowest time in the total line up but she lived to fight another day. And so with this  LV experience Lauren once again lives to fight another day….

I don’t know what place she will take or time she will clock next time she hits the track .I do know for sure the final times for that finals race . 1st place 12.54 Charlea Armstrong and Tatiana Poole 12.64 . These  were great times and can’t be over looked. These young ladies will be formidable competitors when they meet again. I am sure they will meet again,if Lauren has anything to do with it. Getting beat by yourself never leaves you feeling good. Lauren beat herself, the field ran great… Many people asked me about the starter calling it back.My answer to that is the starter is the starter for a reason no need to speculate on what if’s. The 3 fastest girls in Region 15 will represent the region in

Sacramento. So, What Happened In Vegas( I fully expect) To Stay In Vegas.

 Lauren will have another opportunity to do her best again. That is all I ever expect. Not to win every race, but to show up and do her best every race.That is why she finished 3rd. She ran her best with all of her heart.

Her remaining races of the day went very well. the 4×100 Quiet Fire went into the final hand off in I think 4th place and Lauren final leg ran past all competitors to a a 51.0 final time and the 4x400m relay with alternates found themselves in 5th or 6th place after ther first hand off and by the time Lauren got the baton we were in a comforatable 3rd place.( Lauren Leg is about at  3.17 sec)

See Ya In Sacramento