At the last minute, Maya’s good friend, Sarinnagh Budris, found herself without a ride to the USA Track and Field Region 1 Junior Olympic Trials being held at the Icahn Stadium in New York City today. The three of us decided to make a road trip of it and set out at 5:30 AM. I folded down the back seat and placed sleeping pads and bags in the back of my SUV. Both girls slept for the entire 3-and-a-half-hour journey. The Region 1 event includes qualifying athletes from all over New England. We arrived early and devoured the lunch that Jeanine prepared for us before checking in. Sarinnagh received her numbered bib (1176) and I received a coaching credential which gave me access to the field area. Maya was able to join Sarinnagh for warmups on the adjacent soccer field but had to stay in the stands during the actual competition. Shortly after 11 AM, Sarinnagh participated in her first event, the 100m sprint.

Her second event did not start until 1:30 PM and took an hour and a half to complete under the blistering sun and oppressive 95-degree heat. Despite the long wait and difficult conditions, she did very well advancing to the finals where she placed 8th overall (the top five finishers advance to the Nationals). After the competition, we surprised my mother, who is living with her sister and brother-in-law in nearby Little Neck Bay. We shared a delightful dinner at my Uncle’s club before returning to Concord.