Somewhere There

"Save your strength for the Final Lap"

The words of my Coach re-echoed each time I squat for the 400 meters race. I have never lost, because I have always heeded the advice of my 60 year old Coach, whose tactics have earned me laurels for each letter of my name.

There in the crowd, I knew people were counting on me to

win as usual; they expected nothing less, and I always delivered the best; I am the fastest courier service, when it comes to the track.

I placed my foot on the spring board, awaiting the starting shot from the pistol of the starter. Part of my training was never to use the elongated startup which was strictly reserved for tall athletes, since I was a conduit between short and tall, I preferred the bullet startup.

Bang! The pistol went, and the race for the championship began.

Again, it re-echoed...

"Save your strength for the last lap"

     

I stuck to the rule of Mr. Mensah, following behind on the 5th person. The fans were not happy,

"You can't bring us out here, only to lose in the finals",

"Wake Up! Wake Up!" they shouted.

Of course they wouldn't understand that I was following the rule of victory, 7 strides into the last lap, my speed gathered momentum. Each stride, as fast as an antelope. I could hear the crowd cheering, I was close to the end, one more stride and I was in the arms of the tape, a warm embrace with victory.

"Save your strength for the last Lap"

It has been my favourite maxim, and it has really helped me in most crucial situations off the track, until I stepped into the four walls of the Campus. The rules changed.

There was no coach, no tactics. You learn as you go. There are no fans to cheer you; you clap for yourself when you succeed, and dust yourself when you fail. You are not alone in the race, but you are on your own.

The 400metres I used to know turned into Kilometres that I would finish in 4years. In this realm what matters most is the training you give yourself. You can't expect yourself to win without self discipline.

After all, same coaches for all athletes. We learn the same tactics, the special plus you get is that extra time you spend on yourself. The pleasure you deny yourself for the treasure.

4years later, when you look back at all that has happened, you realize that you have made more friends than you had 4years ago, at the same time, you have lost more friends than you had.

Sometimes, those that started the race with you on the starting shot didn't make it to the tape. Some of them saved the strength for the last lap, but didn't even make it to the last lap to use the saved strength.

In this 4 years race, the words of my coach do not win the race. I coined my own words,

"Take the step, and keep the pace. Save the strength for the entire race"

We all gather at that ground, where all our efforts are crowned, and then you look around to see that in the end, you smiled to the finish Line, only then do you realize that you have had fans all the way.

#DedicatedToAllFinalists

Augustus Bill

©2015