The entire season, I've dreamed of placing top 3 in state. This goal has guided every action for the last four months. But then an unexpected plot twist in my running story hit last week. The favorite in the 3200 is injured and won't be running state. I'm absolutely devastated for her of course. Lindsey one of the nicest girls I know and doesn't deserve to be injured. But on the other hand, I'm not going to pretend that I (and the rest of Illinois distance) won't be taking advantage of the opportunity. Suddenly, we're all racing for first instead of second. You can feel the tension in the air and see it in our eyes. Going into this race, I have the 5th fastest time. The first seed is 10:34, only 11 seconds ahead of me. The next three girls are even closer (10:40-10:45). Last year, I jokingly told my coach that I was going to win it all in 12 months. In two days, that dream could become a reality. It's going to hurt. It's going to be the hardest thing that I've ever done. But I've prepared for this moment for months. For years, really. I've gone through hell in more ways than one. I've earned a shot at this gold medal. I intend to make the last chapter of my story something worth reading. "Come on kid, this is your dream"