Keep Goin' Part 4

If you missed 'em: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of Keep Goin'!

I ran my heart off, and every lap my teammates were cheering for me. With a lap to go I heard my coach yell, “DROP THE HAMMER!” This was our team’s saying for give it all you’ve got. I sprinted the last lap as hard as I could. I didn’t see my time on the scoreboard because the winner’s time was being displayed. I dashed off the track as quickly as I could, and I ran over to my coach out of breath. He turned around and looked at me and said, “Awesome race, 5:02.” I was happy and angry at the same time. I was happy because I got my best time by seven seconds, but I was also disappointed because I didn’t break five for my grandpa.

After my race my Dad and I decided to go visit my grandpa in the rehab center. I brought my bag that had my jersey in it. I had it with me since I was coming straight from the Armory. I arrived at his room, and my Mema was sitting in a chair in his room. My grandpa was not in his bed. My Mema said that he was doing some rehab exercises in another room. I stood outside, waiting for him to come back. Then down the hallway I saw a woman pushing a wheelchair. I couldn’t see the man clearly until he was close. It was my grandpa. He saw me, and his face lit up once again. I hugged him, and he was put back in his bed. I showed him my jersey and talked to him about my race. He was looking so much better than the first time I saw him when he was in the hospital. One thought flashed through my mind—he’s going to make it. We left and I said goodbye. As I walked out the door, he said to me, “Keep goin’.”

It was now getting later in the winter track season, and the races were harder and much more important. One day at practice, we had a speed workout on the track. It was a very hard workout, but we hit the times perfectly. I felt great because the workout was such a success. As I walked around the track for a lap before I went in the school, I talked to one of the freshmen. I said to him, “Mike, do you run for anyone?”

“I don’t really know.”

“Well, I run for my grandpa. He is so interested in my running. Do you have anyone like that?”

“I’m not really sure. I’ll have to think about it.”

“Alright, because when I race, I think of him. Thinking of him just makes me run harder and faster. He is 86 and he lived a great life. I know that one day in the future he is going to pass away, and I will be very sad, but I always will think of him during my races. When he goes to heaven, I know that he will have a front row seat watching me in all of my races.”

“I’ll think about that. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Good workout.”

“Thanks. You too.”

I took the 4:10 bus home, and then my Dad picked me up from where I was dropped off to drive me the rest of the way home. When I got home, my Mom was standing at the entrance of the kitchen looking at me. Something didn’t seem right on her face. I walked up the stairs and feared the worst.

“Grandpa passed away.”

I hugged her, and she told me what had happened. He was recovering, and I just didn’t understand how this could have happened. I was absolutely devastated. My grandpa was going for an MRI because the doctors were concerned about some internal bleeding. He proceeded to go into cardiac arrest. I just went up to my room down on myself.

I didn’t break five for him.

I let him down.

But I knew I couldn’t get down on myself. He can now watch all my races, I thought. He can watch me break five. He will be with me through the thick and thin. I will always hear his voice saying, “Keep goin’.”