Doesn't Track

I went to my first track meet this morning. No, I wasn't competing, but thanks for wondering.
It was Bellingham's All District Fifth Grade 49th Annual Track and Field Meet. Of course it was raining. What is the point of doing anything outside in Bellingham if it doesn't rain?
I had fun, but I noticed that the biggest part of track meets is waiting for an hour to participate in an event that takes less than one minute. The athlete that I went to see, a petite ten year old who runs like the wind, whose feet barely touch the ground as though she has wings, who brings to mind the mythological Atalanta, doesn't like people to watch her. I was definitely supposed to not take pictures, which I did anyway. She's shy and will never tolerate the attention that any athlete must expect.
That's okay. One track meet was enough for me also. The crowd was loud. Screaming and chanting wasn't enough, they had to stomp feet as well. Not only was no assigned to prevent this rude behavior, but I think heard a teacher encourage her class to yell louder.
She came in third in the fifty meter dash which was pretty good for someone who limped up to the starting line pretending that she had a sore knee. She really is not a competitor.

Nancy Sherer