the race i didn't win.....{my creative space}

I've never won a race, or any sporting event for that matter....

truth is, I am somewhat hopeless at sport - it's ok, I've accepted that fact now, but growing up - it was hard to understand my uncoordinated ways.  Especially when my melbournian dwelling family uprooted and moved to small hick country town when I was at the tender age of 12.

hmm...what is a girl supposed to do?  play netball?  I tried.  Compete in cross country?  I walked it... swim?   I think dog paddle would have been a more fitting description of my abilities...

So on school sports day - I would strategically avoid having to do anything, volunteering to be "stop watch girl, rake the long jump sand, hand out oranges, anything so I didn't have to try and jump over the high jump bar again only to land on it causing much bruising and pain!

Unfortuantly the day came, that I could no longer avoid these sports days - I was 16, and my name was put down for the 1500m run....what?  You want me to run and you want me to run 1500m??  Are you crazy I told the sport coordinator as I hitched up my knee high school socks and checked my hair in the reflection of his glasses...snobby i was not, Cathy Freeman-esque certainly not, but I just knew this wasn't my thing...

So sports day came, and this was my only event.  I prepared like any good athlete does - I found my pair of sneakers tucked away in the back of the cupboard!  I lined up with my fellow runners - all seven of us.  Safe to say, we looked ridiculous as we were the "un-sporty" group that got the raw end of the sports day stick!

The gun went off and I bolted (I had no idea it was 3 laps of the track!!) and I ran my little borrowed sports socks off!  About half way and I thought I was going to pass out, but I had quite a lead on geek girl, IT nerd boy, quietly spoken exchange student and lanky tall boy.  So I kept going and you know what?

I came third!  3rd - me....I think i nearly passed out with surprise and sheer exhaustion.  This has been my first and only ribbon that doesn't say "participant acheivment" on it!  I treasured it and took it home with pride, only to have my parents look back with stunned faces and say...

"oh were there only three of you in the race?"

So with some cute little thrifted motifs I scored at the oppy a while ago I whipped up some medals for the kids.  They get to wear them for random acts that make me proud....

 now, get ready.....set....GO - to Kirsty's to check out more creative winners!!!!