I walked up to the block, this was it: my final race. My whole life would be different when I hit the wall in less than a minute. Ten years of my life, done. My teammate Macy Gullifer was charging into the wall giving it everything she had as she finished her leg of the relay. As I stepped on to the block for the final time I swung my arms around and launched myself off the block. For as long as I can remember, I've been in the pool. When I was 7, my parents decided to put me on a swim team where then I fell in love with the sport. I would spend hours and hours swimming lap after lap going back and forth trying to achieve my goals. When I began 9th grade, a whole new opportunity came about: high school swimming. I was so excited to compete
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It was the 400 yard free relay; which consists of 4 people swimming 100 yards each. I knew walking up behind the lane; 4 laps separated me from who I was now and the Kelsey who didn't swim anymore. I knew I had to make it last. The first two swimmers went: Skylar and Emma. Then Macy stepped up onto the block and the count down began. It'd be a minute before I would dive in so I tightened my goggles and bent down to stretch. I looked to the end of the lane and I saw my team and family cheering us on. I knew this was it. As Macy raced back in her final lap; I stepped onto the block, took a deep breath, and catapulted myself into the lane. I knew I had to savor every last stroke and every last breath I was taking. I did my first flip. I swam off the wall in a tight stream line and kept kicking. I did my second flip. I could hear Macy and my other teammates screaming. I broke out into my final 50 yards. I sped into the wall and did my last flip, it was my final stretch. I swam like I never had before. And I hit the wall. So many emotions waved over me. I took my goggles off and I felt the tears approaching. I put my hands over my face and started balling. I was still floating in the pool trying to gasp for air. I looked up at my relay team as their eyes were filled with tears. I had no idea what to think, 10 years of my life were gone. Bam! Just like that. I got out of the pool and walked into the arms of my teammates who had turned into my family. This was a moment I will cherish
It was the 400 yard free relay; which consists of 4 people swimming 100 yards each. I knew walking up behind the lane; 4 laps separated me from who I was now and the Kelsey who didn't swim anymore. I knew I had to make it last. The first two swimmers went: Skylar and Emma. Then Macy stepped up onto the block and the count down began. It'd be a minute before I would dive in so I tightened my goggles and bent down to stretch. I looked to the end of the lane and I saw my team and family cheering us on. I knew this was it. As Macy raced back in her final lap; I stepped onto the block, took a deep breath, and catapulted myself into the lane. I knew I had to savor every last stroke and every last breath I was taking. I did my first flip. I swam off the wall in a tight stream line and kept kicking. I did my second flip. I could hear Macy and my other teammates screaming. I broke out into my final 50 yards. I sped into the wall and did my last flip, it was my final stretch. I swam like I never had before. And I hit the wall. So many emotions waved over me. I took my goggles off and I felt the tears approaching. I put my hands over my face and started balling. I was still floating in the pool trying to gasp for air. I looked up at my relay team as their eyes were filled with tears. I had no idea what to think, 10 years of my life were gone. Bam! Just like that. I got out of the pool and walked into the arms of my teammates who had turned into my family. This was a moment I will cherish