You Only Live Once

Sunday- 24/5/2020

Evening amici!!! How are you all?? Good? I hope so. Well it's currently almost 8.30pm and I have already done my nightly workout. Now you may be wondering...
"Avery, why didn't you write this earlier?? Why now?"
Well, it's not a long story. Half the time I was playing Isle with Levi. I'm hoping he briefly knows where is where in Isle. Because then when we do the final game, with the recording it's got to be perfect as can be. Today was good. He already has the Island Master title. Tomorrow Alex and I would probably go and check out the Oasis, try out the parkour and try to get the Artifact there. So yeah today was good. Then after that I went out for a run because I have to build up stamina otherwise I'll come in last for the next competition (if there even is one) Also, here's a memory about my time at those huge sport's comps.
Characters:
- Dayang
- Adriana
- Danea
- Valnessa
- Brooklyn
- Avery (me)
- and this other girl...she doesn't say much...she frowns a lot (emphasis on 'a lot') I don't know her name...will get back to you on that...

So when did Dayang and I meet?
Well, it was way way back. When I was in year seven actually. But probably longer because we weren't friends yet. I met Dayang in my last year of MSSR (Year 7). Funny story actually. So she was competing with light pink pants. And I could see her undergarments. That time I had made friends with this dancer who somehow made it to a sprinting competition. I don't know her name or which school she went to...we lost touch after the competition. So that's how I remembered Dayang. Then when I was in Year 8 I met her again. But this time the at MSSM. Ok so quick flash card:
MSSR. My school was in Zone A. If you won that competition you would move on to compete with the Zone B kids then C and finally D. Then you went to the city's team. Which is where you would compete with people from the same state as yourself.
MSSM is different. All Zones compete in one massive competition then the winners go to the state level. There is around 64 schools there and it is massively crowded.

So then I was sprinting in the 200m race. I met Dayang again. People called her the track beauty queen. Yeap, she was. Why? Because she was fair as heck. And we were in the neighbouring heats. She wore ASICS. Me too! Then there was this boy who was walking past the place where we were being "quarantined". He had the same shoe as me...Dayang noticed and we talked. Then I said I remember her from the MSSR the year before. And I told her why. Lol we had a laugh. She still has those pink leggings till this day. Then as usual we had to go to the track...where the real competition was. Another thing about Dayang, she had those green spikes for like ever. She still uses them. And she's shorter than me. Then I get first in my heat and she does in hers then it's the finals...I get fourth...the medal just out of reach...am I sad? No because this was actually the closest I had gotten to getting a medal. Usually in MSSR I would have gotten last. And my classmates would have been disappointed in me. THEY HAVE LITERALLY NO IDEA HOW FAST THOSE PEOPLE ARE. THEY ALSO HAVE NO IDEA ON HOW GOOD IT IS TO BREAK A PB. Only real athletes know how achieving it actually is to break a PB. Then the 200m competition is over. We part and hope to see each other again. Next is the 400m competition...also where I meet Adriana.

400m, an event I had literally never ever done competitively. Then at MSSM, I didn't even know how to pace myself...thus, setting a PB (which I still haven't broken lol) You wanna know what it is? 400m- 1 minute 15 seconds.
What I'm supposed to break? 1 minute 6 seconds.
What I want to beat? 1 minute 1 second. Is that even possible?? Idk.
So she was the only one there who could speak fluently in English. And that's how we became friends. Ok sure I had gotten into the finals. In second place after Adriana. She is fast. She is blonde. She is Eurasian. She speaks actual English. She had gotten first. Her best friend? Valnessa. Gold medalist hurdler. Slim, very slim. Also long hair...Adriana too. I didn't know her yet but later on you'll know how we met.

Then all my single events were over. Now...the relays with the team:
- Eva (first runner because she's the best at using the starting block. She had a years head start at training, second fastest)
- Ivy (last runner, best at straight lanes, third fastest)
- Sabrina (second runner, long distance runner, slow stepping cycle, oldest)
And then there's me...fastest, third runner, likes running the curve, favourite event: 200m, closest to: Ivy. So yeah. We got fifth. Then out school got invited to join the SSN sports meet. Where I met Adriana again. We had a chat while walking to the starting line. She was in 200m even though she was a long distance runner. So her leg mechanism is slower than the sprinters.
Another quick flash card:
SSN. 22 of the top schools in the state that competed in MSSM. It's invitational. Also only ages 13 and 14 can compete. A once in a lifetime thing.

So yeah. Our athletes at SSN:
- Eva
- Ivy
- Sabrina
- Claire
- Sarah
- Ashley
And there's me...
So yeah we competed but had gotten no medals.  Adriana and I promised we'd see each other again at the end of the year Pembangunan MSSM. Sort of like a mini MSSM but with the same amount of schools. Also there's no finals they just take your times during your heat and see whose is fastest. Sort of like selection for sports day with 64 other schools...
But before that was the Swak Juniors. Where under 19's will compete and the fastest of each event would continue to SUKSA. Mini SUKMA. You still get the jacket. There I may Dayang. She was in the same event as me and I was also going to compete for the 400m. But then the 200m was delayed for 4 whole hours due to the heavy rain. I got 9, and just a millisecond away from the qualifying time. It was pretty good because I was actually only going there for the experience. Then we promised to meet again at Pembangunan...

Then at Pembangunan...I met both Dayang and Adriana. They had both gotten first for their events. It was so cool they had gotten gold during their first year at MSSM. Then it was 200m. Dayang and I were sitting on the raised wooden platforms while waiting for our numbers to be called. So yeah we were in different heats as usual then as we were walking to the starting point it started to drizzle. One of the best times to run 200m. So cooling and fun. Dayang and I were cheering and jumping around. My heat was the first one. I got first in my heat...which was quite unexpected. Then Dayang also gets first in her heat. Also for the record, whoever gets first in their heat has a higher chance to win the gold. And guess what? I got the gold. Dayang got third...probably because the girls in her heat were slow and there was no one to push her. The girl who frowns a lot got second. She was second in my heat too. Then the competition is over and now we wait for the list...the list of who's going for the state level...
- Dayang
- Adriana
- Valnessa
- Avery
- and 56 others
We got selected for the 100m relay. And probably going to be the best team. All I. All there was 60 of us athletes. The following week there was trainings. Morning and after school. And we were all going to another city. My dad went with me and we took airplane, with Eva and Claire. It was only for three days but those three days were exam days. Was I excited about missing exams?? Yeah, kind of. But what's more exciting? The city's track was air infused!!! So bouncy. If u hadn't stayed with my dad at the hotel about only 3 minutes from the track it was sharing a bedroom with the girls... Dayang, Adriana, Brooklyn (she was our reserve) and Valnessa. Oh heck it would've been fun but then the food there was probably going to poison us all. And there probably would have been spiders. But it would have been an experience to share a room with roommates. Strengthening friendship and stuff. Then I had gotten 5th in my 200m and so I am currently 5th fastest in the state. Dayang had gotten a medal, either first or third I couldn't remember. Val had gotten first Adriana was also fifth in her event and then had gotten injured before the relay. Also funny story was that when we were trying out for the relay they asked me for my time. I said it was more than 15 seconds...their jaws dropped. Because fifteen seconds is bad. It's slow. But I am not a 100m runner and I never had myself officially timed for it... then we were asked to run. I was only second by a little. So here's how it was...
1st runner: Dayang.
2nd runner: Val
3rd runner: Adriana but since she was injured, we had Brooklyn, Brooke for short.
Last runner: Avery, me.

We worked hard and in the end got first...the best team ever. Almost breaking the record. Coach Alex was proud. My city coach and sisters names are the same. Except for hers is Alexandria. And his is just Alex. The other coaches can't pronounce his name and call him like this: (Al—ek) so it sounds like Alec.
Then the event was over...sweaty-joy-filled-still-in-spikes-relay-team group hug!! And a memorable picture. Each of us promised to meet again at next year's MSSM. But that story is for next time...

I'm going to sleep...

-Avery-