The ugly years...high school track!
Quick update...Thanks SO MUCH to this past week's donors, I'm only $325 away from my fundraising goal for the race on 8.10.08...if you'd still like to donate and learn more about The Cystic Fibrosis foundation, please click here. Also, I need to get running a bit more this week which will be tough with a packed schedule...anyone out there have any tips on how you get lots of miles in with little time?
This week I w
as catapulted back into a time machine and landed in 1986, thanks to the wonderful invention at Facebook, initially targeted to over-cyber-spaced tweens, it’s now becoming all the rage amongst us late thirty-somethingers. C'mon, I know most of you have accounts, feel free to invite me as a friend!
So, I went to the “Friend Finder” and connected with people from high school, a few of them being guys I haven't seen in 15-20 years. It was a total trip! Some the exchanges in
cluded nice compliments along the lines of, “You look great. Are those recent pictures?” I thought how nice is that? And, replied that yes, it was indeed me and thankfully after 20 years, I finally made it through puberty. Their comments were spot on - - let's face it, back in the day I was a shadow of my former self, topping the scales at maybe 100 lbs sopping wet and if possible, was a dorkier version of the Molly Ringwald character Samantha in Sixteen Candles. (See photo of me in cheerleading uniform to decide for yourself. No, I wasn't 12 or 13, this is me at almost 18, a few months prior to graduation!)
as catapulted back into a time machine and landed in 1986, thanks to the wonderful invention at Facebook, initially targeted to over-cyber-spaced tweens, it’s now becoming all the rage amongst us late thirty-somethingers. C'mon, I know most of you have accounts, feel free to invite me as a friend!So, I went to the “Friend Finder” and connected with people from high school, a few of them being guys I haven't seen in 15-20 years. It was a total trip! Some the exchanges in
cluded nice compliments along the lines of, “You look great. Are those recent pictures?” I thought how nice is that? And, replied that yes, it was indeed me and thankfully after 20 years, I finally made it through puberty. Their comments were spot on - - let's face it, back in the day I was a shadow of my former self, topping the scales at maybe 100 lbs sopping wet and if possible, was a dorkier version of the Molly Ringwald character Samantha in Sixteen Candles. (See photo of me in cheerleading uniform to decide for yourself. No, I wasn't 12 or 13, this is me at almost 18, a few months prior to graduation!)The next natural reaction to this was a call to my HS BFF and fellow track buddy, Kristin 
M. No sooner did she say hello I queried, “Hey, how ugly was I in high school?" It was said with a hint of laughter and sarcasm, but I still wanted to hear what she had to day. “Huh?” is all I heard on the other end of the phone. For God sakes, Kristin is an adult woman, was in in the middle of her work day and had no idea what had transpired with me and this question was coming outta left field. I repeated myself. She replied, “Oh, like I was any better." I surmised from this that yes, it was still true more than 20 years later, that neither of us at the time (well, I shouldn't vindicate her, so me really) were the girls that guys were clamoring for, but still we manged to get by with lots of fun, laughter and yes, very cute prom dates. (That's me with the QB of Stepinac's football team...yeah, don't worry if you're questioning it, I still don't get it either...)
M. No sooner did she say hello I queried, “Hey, how ugly was I in high school?" It was said with a hint of laughter and sarcasm, but I still wanted to hear what she had to day. “Huh?” is all I heard on the other end of the phone. For God sakes, Kristin is an adult woman, was in in the middle of her work day and had no idea what had transpired with me and this question was coming outta left field. I repeated myself. She replied, “Oh, like I was any better." I surmised from this that yes, it was still true more than 20 years later, that neither of us at the time (well, I shouldn't vindicate her, so me really) were the girls that guys were clamoring for, but still we manged to get by with lots of fun, laughter and yes, very cute prom dates. (That's me with the QB of Stepinac's football team...yeah, don't worry if you're questioning it, I still don't get it either...)
Kristin and I became fast and furious friends from the first week of high school and when it came to sign up for track - - I really can't remember if there were actual "try outs" at our small Catholic High School or just a sign up list at the door of the gym/auditorium - - either way, we both were in. We competed against each other in the shot put and discus (at my size, the power in my upper body to let me compete successfully in these events, is still to this day inexplicable.) I usually took second place behind Kristin, who will forever hold the record for both at the now defunct Academy of the Resurrection in Rye, New York. (Picture on left shows her in action!) We were able to run with each other in the relay, making a great team, passing the baton many a time. And, no, we never dropped it! (Cardinal sin in track!)
Back in the track days, during the week we trecked over to Rye High for practice and for most of the meets we made our way over to the track at White Plains High School or Stepinac High School. This was always fun for us because seeing guys at the track was a welcom
e reprieve since we were trapped inside the walls of an all girls high school all day long! It was this time we spent at the track that helped solidify our friendship. OK, maybe sometimes it was even the travel to and from the track that provided the most form of entertainment and bonding, especially when we were pre-license and our parents had to alternate the early Saturday morning drive to practice or meets. We won't soon forget when my dad was driving us and made a u-turn in a beaten down lot and ran over some metal bar that ripped a massive hole in the gas tank. Gas immediately began to gush out and at the firm instruction of my father, we ran from the car and then watched him, distressed, shake his head with defeat. And, it's not that we were ignorant, spoiled or didn't have compassion, it was merely that there was nothing left to do so we turned away from my dad and busted out laughing. I think it was mostly the the disbelief of another random thing we were entangled in together. Really, what were the odds of this happening?! And, no, we didn't make it to the track on time that day. (By the way in the pic, I'm the chick with the really bad "do" and eyes closed in the front row, and Kristin's behind me with actually a better do then me, although that's not saying much!)
e reprieve since we were trapped inside the walls of an all girls high school all day long! It was this time we spent at the track that helped solidify our friendship. OK, maybe sometimes it was even the travel to and from the track that provided the most form of entertainment and bonding, especially when we were pre-license and our parents had to alternate the early Saturday morning drive to practice or meets. We won't soon forget when my dad was driving us and made a u-turn in a beaten down lot and ran over some metal bar that ripped a massive hole in the gas tank. Gas immediately began to gush out and at the firm instruction of my father, we ran from the car and then watched him, distressed, shake his head with defeat. And, it's not that we were ignorant, spoiled or didn't have compassion, it was merely that there was nothing left to do so we turned away from my dad and busted out laughing. I think it was mostly the the disbelief of another random thing we were entangled in together. Really, what were the odds of this happening?! And, no, we didn't make it to the track on time that day. (By the way in the pic, I'm the chick with the really bad "do" and eyes closed in the front row, and Kristin's behind me with actually a better do then me, although that's not saying much!) When I look back at this "dorky" time, I'm convinced that running track kept me on track. I certainly didn't place first in my events (100, 200, 400, occasional 800, relays, dis
cuss, shot put) all of the time or even some of the time, but it was my inherent competitive nature that kept me running even off the track through the streets of my hometown in quest of becoming better and faster. Looking back now, I realize all the time I spent running kept me out of trouble, for the most part. I mean, let's face it, I wasn't a perfect kid. Who was? But I think my worst offense came in the form of staying out too late and having a few beers (hey, us runners need our carbs, right?)
cuss, shot put) all of the time or even some of the time, but it was my inherent competitive nature that kept me running even off the track through the streets of my hometown in quest of becoming better and faster. Looking back now, I realize all the time I spent running kept me out of trouble, for the most part. I mean, let's face it, I wasn't a perfect kid. Who was? But I think my worst offense came in the form of staying out too late and having a few beers (hey, us runners need our carbs, right?) So, today Kristin and I are still close friends. She lives about 2 miles from me and in fact this past Saturday, keeping with my theme for staying out of trouble (LOL!) I babysat for her adorable 5-year old twins Courtney and Owen. The highlight of the evening was going to get ice cream at the shop a few blocks away in the heart of Hoboken. They practically ran the whole way and had me wondering if they'd be setting some high school track records of their own one day!
As I look back at my high school days...I know at the time I would have preferred to be the really popular girl with all the right things in the right places. Who wouldn't be? But there is a part of me thankful that my high school days took the course they did and landed me on the track with my pal Kristin, who's shared more laughter (and tears) with me then I could ever count. I wouldn't trade that for all the popularity in the world! (ok...maybe one night....NOT! LOL!)
Next posting...not sure what I'm gonna talk about...I'll see how the week goes!
Comments
By the way - in your prom pic, your arm is so skinny it looks like a "barbie" arm that could snap right off.
Do you remember doing stairs on rainy days for Track practice? I was reminded of this after I dropped off Owen in his preschool class and was winded after clibling the 2 flights of stairs to his classroom. We used to do this for an hour at least. Man...I had the potential for a hot bod in high school - hindsight is 20/20 right?
The running starts again tomorrow. After abusing my liver this past weekend, I am getting back on track (pun intended) Thanks again for the inspriation.
For myself I am waiting until Internet surfing is an Olympic sport. In the meantime I pledge to those who can make these types of pilgrimage's.
JJD - Couch Potato...