Tears rolled down my cheeks with sorrow,

I felt I wouldn't live to see tomorrow,

I sat in a chair with my shirt over my nose,

Trying to cover up one of my life's lows, 

Coach of the track team held a meeting,

The words he uttered made my head ring,

After all the years of coaching this was it,

He found a school where he'd be a better fit,

It's not that he didn't love us, he really did,

But the time was coming for Coach to teach his last kid,

Now it was teachers he needed to teach,

Helping them obtain what was out of their reach,

Where did that leave me in all of this,

Balling my eyes out, far from any bliss,

I ran out of the room with nothing to say,

I wanted nothing more than to escape the day,

The day wasn't over though, I still had practice

Even with heartbreak, I knew I could not miss,

For bigger than Coach leaving there was a race to take place,

One of grit and tears not of elegance and grace,

It was the regional final, the last push for state,

Where I'd call to my opponents " HA! HA! CHECK MATE!"

For if I won I would be the regional champ,

And on this city forever I'd leave my stamp, 

It was enough of the crying and time to focus,

I'd have to win through my training not some hocus-pocus,

One last week to give it my all,

Come Hell or high Heaven I would not fall,

I trained long and hard leading up to the meet,

Now in order to win it was up to my feet, 

I hadn't forgot the heartbreak I suffered,

Over my soul that heartbreak hovered,

But I put it behind me for a couple of days,

Fighting against them I kept my emotions at bay,

In my mind I was myself a grand force, 

but to the city I was nothing more than a dark-horse,

If I wanted to win I needed a plan,

One that would help me beat my rival and his clan, 

I was won and the rivals had four,

Their high school team was good they had champions galore,

Coach told me to open up with 300 meters to go,

said that no rival would catch me my lead would only grow,

Together we imagined such a glorious day,

Where I pulled off an upset in late May, 

I thought of how I enjoyed moments like this,

I love Coach so much it's these moments I'll miss,

Selfish was I thinking I was the only one hurt,

Coach deep down had to feel like dirt,

So I made a deal with myself that I'd win the race,

That'd burn away the sorrow that within us took place,

Finally it was time for my foot to toe the line,

2 laps, 800 meters, then the crown was mine,

The gun went off and I took off running,

The crowd needed a show and I was going to go out gunning,

400 meters passed and I lead the pack,

Half the race was over and my rivals were at my back,

As I passed coach with 300 meters left,

He was hollering but in both my ears I was deaf,

My stride opened up, for the rivals it was over,

I was soon to be the champ, luck ran dry in their three-leaf clover,  

My torso crossed the finish line first,

My heart was pounding so hard it should have burst, 

After receiving my medal Coach and I raised our fists in the air,

When I went over to him he hugged me like a big bear,

I followed through on my promise and the sorrow made way for joy,

A moment etched in time, the Coach embracing the winning Runner Boy.