The Track That Louisville Built

On the bus ride to her first track meet, Sadiqa Reynolds sits alone. She passes the long drive in silence, gazing at the lush Kentucky greenery. It’s the summer after fifth grade in the early ’80s. No practice under her belt, and therefore understandably intimidated, she’s laced up her sneakers and boarded the bus, and now is listening to her new teammates chatter. This day is about to swing way up because when Reynolds crouches for the start of her first race ever—the 100-meter—and the gun pops, speed she doesn’t know she has shoots her down the straightaway into first place. On the bus ride home, she’s a star. Her teammates crowd her like an old pal, and she feels charged up, triumphant, somehow bigger in the very 11-year-old body she woke up in. She’ll keep winning over the next few years. She’ll even earn the award for “fastest girl” at her sixth-grade graduation. And then, like a lot of kids, she’ll eventually tire of track and leave it behind. But the sport leaves its imprint. “I learned from track that I was stronger than I thought I could be,” she says. “That I could deliver under pressure.” In that blank sliver of space before the gun went off, she remembers feeling fearful, rattled by raucous cheering sections for big teams. But time after time, she’d hear those roars, run scared, and win. [View in Browser]( [Runner's World Logo]( [SHOP]( [RW+ EXCLUSIVES]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [The Track That Louisville Built]( [The Track That Louisville Built]( [The Track That Louisville Built]( On the bus ride to her first track meet, Sadiqa Reynolds sits alone. She passes the long drive in silence, gazing at the lush Kentucky greenery. It’s the summer after fifth grade in the early ’80s. No practice under her belt, and therefore understandably intimidated, she’s laced up her sneakers and boarded the bus, and now is listening to her new teammates chatter. This day is about to swing way up because when Reynolds crouches for the start of her first race ever—the 100-meter—and the gun pops, speed she doesn’t know she has shoots her down the straightaway into first place. On the bus ride home, she’s a star. Her teammates crowd her like an old pal, and she feels charged up, triumphant, somehow bigger in the very 11-year-old body she woke up in. She’ll keep winning over the next few years. She’ll even earn the award for “fastest girl” at her sixth-grade graduation. And then, like a lot of kids, she’ll eventually tire of track and leave it behind. But the sport leaves its imprint. “I learned from track that I was stronger than I thought I could be,” she says. “That I could deliver under pressure.” In that blank sliver of space before the gun went off, she remembers feeling fearful, rattled by raucous cheering sections for big teams. But time after time, she’d hear those roars, run scared, and win. On the bus ride to her first track meet, Sadiqa Reynolds sits alone. She passes the long drive in silence, gazing at the lush Kentucky greenery. It’s the summer after fifth grade in the early ’80s. No practice under her belt, and therefore understandably intimidated, she’s laced up her sneakers and boarded the bus, and now is listening to her new teammates chatter. This day is about to swing way up because when Reynolds crouches for the start of her first race ever—the 100-meter—and the gun pops, speed she doesn’t know she has shoots her down the straightaway into first place. On the bus ride home, she’s a star. Her teammates crowd her like an old pal, and she feels charged up, triumphant, somehow bigger in the very 11-year-old body she woke up in. She’ll keep winning over the next few years. She’ll even earn the award for “fastest girl” at her sixth-grade graduation. And then, like a lot of kids, she’ll eventually tire of track and leave it behind. But the sport leaves its imprint. “I learned from track that I was stronger than I thought I could be,” she says. “That I could deliver under pressure.” In that blank sliver of space before the gun went off, she remembers feeling fearful, rattled by raucous cheering sections for big teams. But time after time, she’d hear those roars, run scared, and win. [Read More]( [Read More](   [Here Are 5 Ways to Restart Your Day in a Minute or Less]( [Here Are 5 Ways to Restart Your Day in a Minute or Less]( Instead of that afternoon coffee, incorporate one of these simple practices when you need a pick-me-up. [Read More](       [6 Exercises to Help You Address Overpronation and Run Pain-Free]( [6 Exercises to Help You Address Overpronation and Run Pain-Free]( Easy strength moves may solve some of your foot and ankle issues. 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