Because if you never fall… how will you ever get up?
A Public Poem Series by Jeronique
Track and field stole my heart before I even knew it was officially a sport. At the young age of 3, I learned that walking was just too slow to get anywhere fast. In a house always filled with people, being slow means missed meals, cold baths, and lost chances.
So, growing up, being challenged to a race wasn’t just a rite of passage, it was a way of life. We’re racing to the fridge, we’re racing to the playground swings, we’re racing to our mama’s laps. As Bobby’s wayward dad from the unforgettable movie Talladega Nights reminds us: “If you’re not first, you’re last.” And, so went our movement through space and time.
From The Gravel at Home to Watching The Pros
As I watched Athing Mu win Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, my heart threw a memory a minute into my mind. I immediately think about the could’ve, should’ve, would’ve of my own journey in the world of track and field. I fight back blaming those who didn’t nurture my natural talent in the sport, and even dismiss the self criticism of not honing those things for myself. Then I snap out of it, and celebrate watching the beautifully talented Athing Mu do something on the international stage that’s happening for America once in over half a century (53 years to be exact). I want to say I celebrate harder than her hometown but no measures were In place to quantify who screams louder or dances longer when she crosses the finish line.
Years Pass as Fast As We Run
But just as hearts hold space for joy, they carry room for pain. As the years rotate in and out, and the 2024 Olympic competition approaches, my eyes are glued to all things track and field. As always, I expect a few shocks, but nothing on the field shocks me more than when the ladies 800 meter race takes a wild turn.
Athing Mu Fails To Qualify For The 2024 Olympics
In her attempt to defend her 2020 Olympic medal, Athing Mu took a dream busting fall. My heart cries real tears for her could’ve, should’ve, would’ve nightmare. I can’t take that pain to bed so I write her a public poem, and create a video. See the fall, hear the poem and join the conversation by watching the video here:
It is a race that shocks us all but one I’m sure shocks her more.
This public poem is written without filters, ai assistance, or ill intent. I write to encourage the heart, mind and soul of a track and field athlete. Because in our world falling is part of the journey, not the end of it.
Check out my other posts here:
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.