I pull up to my race, there are racers and bikes everywhere. My dad and I pull our bikes out of his car and get ready. We put on all of our gear and ride over to the registration table. The lady tells us that our race starts in twenty minutes. I grab my helmet and strap it on, then I go for a warm-up ride. I arrive at the race gate with five minutes to spare, so I decide to stretch and eat a energy bar. Then this creepy guy with a megaphone and gun starts talking to all of the racers. He says that the race is going to start in two minutes, then all of the racers move up to the starting line. Everyone starts staring at the strange man, then he raises the gun and pulls the trigger.... Like a pack of hungry wolves, every racer sprints out of the gate hoping to get a good spot in the pack. This is the start of my race for the state championships.

I come flying out of the gate, dust and mud spinning off my tires like a monster truck. Trying to get a decent spot, I pull off the track and peddle really fast. The weeds and tall grass crackle under my tires while I try to gain a few spots ahead. Then with a blink of an eye, I was gone into the woods. Half way through my first lap I came up to the top pack. Quickly I determined what spot I needed to get, third place was what I need to accomplish second place in the standings. Hoping I could get first was out of the question. The top racer was too far ahead in the standings for me to catch. After the first lap I was stationed in fifth. All the fans cheered when I rolled into the woods for my second time.

Wack! I had hit a tree! I tried cutting a corner to pass a racer, but i was cut off! Quickly I staggered back over to my bike. My head was spinning so violently I could barely hear the other racers. I got back on my bike and rode off. After that I really just wanted to give up, but I thought for awhile and decided to keep on going. Coming out of the second lap I was a great distance behind third. I rode out of the woods with blood along the side of my head. All the fans cheered loud for me, when I started riding into the woods, for my final lap.

Bursting into the single track I came at top speed. I look down at my speedometer and it read 32 mph! Suddenly, I rode up to fifth and fourth place and passed them. After that I got really excited, I had to be close to third place I thought. Coming out of the woods for the final half mile, I saw third place. He was a good distance ahead of me but nothing I couldn’t catch. We both rounded the final stretch neck and neck. I pulled ahead, then he pulled ahead, but at the end I crossed the finish line first! All the fans cheered and I had just placed second for the year!