109?

The white fabric was stretched across the counter-top beckoning for us to begin the daunting task that lay before us. Our stencils were hand-made and had been meticulously designed, laminated and cut. (And for the record, Cooper Black would not be my recommended font from which to cut numbers and size 45 type.) Several brands of permanent black markers were strewn across our workspace which had been lined with pencil drawn 6”X 8” grid blocks. It took several trial runs to get it right – finding the markers that bled the least, remembering to put scratch paper underneath so we didn’t leave a colorful graffiti gift on the counter – sure to incense the accountants, figuring out if we doubled up the fabric we could take advantage of the bleeding ink and work twice as fast, and determining the right configuration of bodies so that all three of us could work at the same time. We had it down to a science by the time it came to the 900’s and were perhaps a little high from the fumes to even joke about going in to business! By the end of the night we went from a blank sheet of fabric to a multi-colored array of 60 race bibs ready to soak up miles of sweat, dust and triumph.

For a few months now, Xavierites, and high-schoolers all over the island have been training for one day, one event – one moment in which to exhibit their athletic prowess – Track and Field Day. (Ironically, a competition spread across 3 days). For 6 of my runners, their opportunity presented itself in the wee morning hours of April 20^th. Just like the glory days, we had a team pasta party the night before and exploiting the resources we had available, we employed the efforts of the sophomore boys to climb trees and retrieve natural sources of hydrating perfection – coconuts! Even though the distance team runs farther, works harder, puts up with more orders from me and complains louder, for that night of luxury, it was all worth it. They were treated royally – dinner up in the faculty lounge, a rowdy pep rally in their honor and the girls were invited to stay in the female faculty house…

We sent them to bed smug and content, and anxiously awaiting their 3:30 am wake up call. I now know what my coaches must have felt – nights of nervous slumber filled with tossing, turning and dreams about the possibility of what might be and the fear of what might not. For about a month, the assistant coaches and I had been getting up at 5:15 to run with the girls before school, so waking up without the sun was nothing unfamiliar, though the reminiscent feeling of race day made this morning, or middle of the night, different.

We woke up the girls and I went up to the kitchen to pack water and bread in the hopes of avoiding the misery of last year’s mistakes. With a truck full of athletes and a flatbed full of fans, we made the descent down the hill towards the course.

(Pre-race jitters - Nikki, Sarah, Rose and Coach...click on photos to enlarge)


What seemed to be an unorganized mess at 5:15 somehow pulled itself together in time to have about 40 athletes on the starting line by 5:30, bearing their hand-crafted, individualized by school, race numbers. It was a beautiful sight…(if you’d like to see for yourself…) and a moment that couldn’t make a coach any prouder.

The race went well. Xavier took 8^th, 12^th and 13^th for the ladies and in an impressive finish on the guys side, one of Xavier’s seniors won the race, another took 10^th , and in a courageous effort to fill the spot of a last minute drop out, the Japanese ‘Beast from the East’ ran his heart out and took 15^th. When the runners had recovered, the course had been swept of any stragglers and the road cleared, the coaches met to discuss results.

(My lovely lady marathoners in recovery - Nikki, Nessa and Sarah)

(Nessa shows her Xavier Pride!)

(Texter leading the pace and his protege J4 a 14 year old unattached rising star)

(The referenced 'Beast from the East,' Toshiki and his infamous partner returning from some unfortunate mishaps in the '06 marathon to give it another go - Thaine)

The rules only allowed for 3 runners from each school to participate, and the bib numbers were designed in such a way to indicate school and gender. For example, Xavier was designated the 900’s, so male runners wore 901 – 903 and females wore 904-906. We thought it would expedite the scoring process which in the absence of electronic timing chips, is done by hand.

As I’m perusing the list of results, I notice 4 runners had been listed as finishing the boys race for Chuuk High. I turn to the coach, point out the mistake and ask why he ran 4 runners…102…101…103…and 109. Offended by the accusation, he claimed he didn’t. He double checked his records and said that #109 wasn’t his athlete.

“Wait, you’re right…109 isn’t even a legit number. The males are numbered 01-03. That’s impossible.”

We started double checking the names, asking the official who recorded the finishers…maybe it was 901? No, that’s the Xavier runner who won the race. Maybe 106? No, that’s a female athlete. Who was 109? Then a light bulb goes off and in a moment of detective genius I exclaim…

“The kid pinned his number on upside down! He was supposed to be 601! The runner is from SDA!”