Fanfare

"I decided to pick up the pace," Isaac said describing yesterday's cross-country race where he was at the back of the pack after the first loop.

"Pretty soon I counted just nine guys ahead of me. I decided to pick it up a little more.

"Then I ran neck and neck with the front runner and decided he was going a little slow as we got near the end. I picked it up again. I heard (a teammate's mom) yell:

'It's just you and the cart, Isaac.'

I tried to touch it, but (the driver) zoomed out of reach just as I crossed the finish line – ten seconds before anybody else."

As his reward, Isaac brought home this gold medal for his first-ever first place finish. He was happy. He got to run the short 1.5 mile Junior Varsity race. His strong finish didn't earn him a place in the upcoming Sectional meet for varsity runners. But as a freshman who's shaved off more than a minute from last year's running time, Isaac was satisfied.

And to boot, Isaac came home on the team bus to a firetruck escort. Okay... So it wasn't for him – instead to honor the girls' varsity cross-country runners who took the home the conference title during their school Homecoming week.

Adrenaline was pumping along with the Fanfare.