Click. My oar locks into place.
Splash. It falls into the water.
I slam my knees down
and drag the oar handle to my chest.
The blade vehemently pushes water.
Snap. I feather my blade
and slowly creep up the metal slide on my seat,
extending my muscles and body out over the boat
for the longest stroke.

The oars of the boat snap in unison.
Strokes are taken with power.
Four girls leaning,
working together,
focusing on the win.

This was it.

The boat seems to glide effortlessly over the water,
but each stroke forcefully propels us
closer and closer
to the finish line
as water rushes the other way.

“Give it everything you got!!
Send that water away!
I know you have it in you- now push it!”

Two hundred and fifty meters left-
the final stretch-
the last sprint
We were in second place.

“You’re still in this, girls:
DON’T GIVE UP!
Leave it all on the water.”

Adrenaline kicked in.
The boat got faster.
Oars slam down.
We rush up the slide.
Twenty five strokes

BEEP

We had made it.
The boat halted
Crying began.
We were second.
What else could we have done?
We gave it everything.

Sometimes the row is easy,
the wind and current work with me
to get to the finish line.

But sometimes
the row is more challenging.
The difficult races show
true strength and perseverance.

Sometimes,
the best races in life
are the ones that you lose.