Crazy Cross-Country Race!!

They say its not a contact sport, that all you do is just run, you start at one point and finish at another. They tell me Cross Country isn't anything like say, football or soccer. Today I disproved this common belief. It was a normal race just like very other, everyone nervous to start hoping everything goes as planed, you run then you finish. I actually felt confident that even though I hadn't attended practice in about a week and a half I was going to do well. To me it felt like any other race, with the butterflies in my stomach, the sweat on my forehead, shaking every opponent's hand that I'm about to run against. 

We all got ready at the starting line the gun was raised,  it was quiet, the gun went off. (all true) I'm in first for a quick second, a few guys pass me, we go through a series of steep hill that gave the best view of downtown San Jose. Any ways it was a fast.. it must have only been 2 minutes at most we approach the first down hill slope. We passed it then, it was beautiful, everyone including me hugged an approaching curve. Its a small group that quickly disappears, its only me and a runner for Yerba Buena High School, were close to each other we make leg and arm contact I lose my balance for a moment, out of no where he shoulder tackles me. I fly upward, my feet completely off the ground, I close my eyes,I fall hard and slide across the gravel path, I feel a pain on my back, legs and head. I open my eyes the sound comes back to me and all I hear is my brother yelling at the top of his lungs at the runner. I'm left wit a few cuts, scrapes and bruises on my back shoulders and leg.

I still continue the race. After this "incident" or what every you want to call it. I get back up only to realize about 10 runners passed me I lost count of what place I was, but I proceeded with the race nothing could have stopped me from finishing that race. I ended up finishing around 11th and 13th place. But it just goes to show how every is a difficult and sometime it doesn't go as planed. I really am hurting I'd write every detail of the race but I'm in a little bit of pain and homework to finish.