My roadrunner

Beep beep! That was how Farah ran at her school's track and field meet last Friday. She was slated for three events - 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. I was at the field at the start of the meet and was getting anxious when I didn't see her run the first two events.

Parents were given seats in a makeshift tent, close to the finishing line opposite the grandstand. I thought that was a good plan by the school since there were parents running all over the field, cheering their kids alongside the track. It was chaotic, and the parents looked like they had as much fun as the kids.

The most eventful event was the 8x50m event for the 9 year olds. Five teams of 8 kids were running up and down the 50m track, each trying to win the race. Some were running so fervently that their shoes flew off their fast feet, unable to keep up. The kids were smart enough not to stop to pick up their shoes; probably learnt that time and race wait for no one, regardless of how cute you look.

The last event of the day was the 12-year olds' 4x100m relay event and I spotted Farah far from where I was sitting. She was the third runner and I immediately saw how much taller the other third runners were. When the horn was blown, I was jumping up and down, cheering her team, especially when I saw her receive the baton from the second runner.

When the baton was passed to her, her team was in third placing, but my little roadrunner was running so fast that she overtook the first two girls. By the time she passed the baton, she had given her team a significant lead and the final runner made a mad dash and the team won. This was her 4th consecutive win for that event, for 4 years running. She said to me after the meet was over, "Mission accomplished!" referring to the record that she and her team now hold.