Writing Topic from Mr. Harris

Thanks Sonnek,
Writing topic from Mr. Harris:
[Achieving a Goal] Think of a time when you achieved a personal goal. Tell your readers about the story of how you met your goal. Be sure that your readers understand why the goal is important to you.

okay, here goes...

The cold air hit me like I'd just opened the freezer door on a hot summer day. The wind whipped the tree branches around and made me think of cotton candy. You know, those machines that collect the pink and blue strands of melt in your mouth sugar.
The familiar nausea in my stomach will soon pass, I thought. The hardest part is over. Just getting my butt out of bed this early, that's the real challenge. It's worth it to see the sun rise over the edge of the mountain, watch the deer bounce happily across my path in unison and to smell the unmistakable scent of crisp fresh air, as if God had spent all the night before doing his laundry.
I laced up my shoes and set my blue ipod mini to my favorite playlist "running mix". Today will be the day, I thought to myself with complete determination. Heading down the street, I saw a friend driving off to work. We exchanged waves and I wondered what that was like. Getting up every morning and driving off to a job for 8-10 hours. It's been almost 9 years now since I've had that kind of life.
Half mile down the curvy road is where my second wind kicks in. Thank goodness because I hate that first half mile. It marks the moment that I most want to stop, and stopping is not an option. The soccer field is wet, the security guard has been watering early this morning. I'll have to run around it. The horses whom I call Fred and Wilma are waiting by the wood and wire fence to cheer me on. Thanks guys! I'm waving at horses! I hope nobody saw that. I keep going. Around Otter trail and up that crazy steep hill. The hill that everyone walks up. Everyone except me. I want to do this without stopping. The sky is turning a pinky orange shade of dawn. My breathing is getting labored. In through the nose and out the mouth, get control Kathy! Looking at the sky, I ask God a question. "Can you take me higher?" My thoughts float seamlessly into a conversation with our maker.

Even if my body fails me, Lord I want to make you smile.

I have felt bad for so long. I don't remember what it's like to wake up or

go to bed feeling normal. Can you take me higher? To a place with golden streets?

I press on just passing mile 2. Almost there. The fat white line that Caltrans uses to try and get drivers to stop just before making a right-hand turn, the one at the bottom of my own crazy steep street; that's my finish line. It's where I allow myself a 2 minute seventh inning streach before tackling the real goal. The goal I haven't been able to conquer yet. The thing that has beaten me and deprived me of victory in the last 7 attempts.
Standing in the middle of the street staring at the asphalt, I try to imagine ways of making it to the top without heaving up the dry acids that line my stomach.

"I can't do it without you God, please help me do it."

My heart feels like a hot air balloon that is rising and falling within the walls of a high school gym. Getting more siked with every second, I wait for just the right moment in a familiar song. Logically it makes sense. If I can't hear my heart pumping or my lungs pounding, I won't get distracted. I'll find myself standing on top of the world with my fists in the air gleaming with the face of victory like Rocky Balboa.

Big leaps. Big strides. Careful on the breathing. Keep my head down! I'm off.

The first 1/3 is easy. The second third and I find myself taking smaller leaps, smaller strides. Just passing my house, I lift my head then force it down. "I...can...do...this...!

If you were standing in my living room gazing down in the street, I'm sure you would laugh. It must look awfully funny. I know I'm barely moving. Power walkers would fly past me.

The last third and I'm still going, still running. Pleasently shocked that I haven't stopped yet. Buried deep inside my brain, a movie quote pops out of it's hiding place. With the accent of Forest Gump, "Well, I figured since I've gone this far, I might as well keep goin..." something like that anyway.

Step, step, step. 2 more. First right and then the left foot gets the sweet pounding of the dirt. My fists fly up and don't care that I've just yelled out loud "YEAH!! THANK YOU GOD!!!"

Like a fish with no spine, I doubled over and tried to spit out the thick saliva caked around my tongue. No, I thought, I won't throw up today.

Dairy allergy? Intolerance to dairy? Doctors don't really know. I'm tired of the tests to find out why I feel sick every morning and random nights. But I won't sit and let it take me. I want to be healthy. I believe in mind over body. The brain can heal it's carrier. The Lord does heal the soul, the sick, the sinner. At least that's what I've seen.

I've learned that goals are good and throwing up is okay.

"Set up High, I'm strong enough to take these dreams and make them mine." Creed- Higher