What I learned from an 11 hour track meet

Track season is here. That means the last 2 weeks have been filled with practices, late nights, and more responsibility. We had our first track meet yesterday and we did very well. We loaded up our runners and got to the track at about 1. When all was said and done, all the events finished, we ended up leaving after midnight. After we got the vans back to school, unloaded everything, and got home, it was right about 2 A.M. I have not seen the 2 A.M. hour in quite some time, and I must say that it is a dreadful hour to be on the road. I am much more of a morning glory kind of a gal than a night owl and I don't enjoy being up that late. Even more, I don't enjoy feeling groggy the next day, as I do now.
The meet was not run well, and people were getting frustrated by the inefficiency. Teams packed up and left. Parents, coaches, and administrators were griping and complaining and venting their frustrations, and I must agree, as much as I wish I wasn't part of that group, I was.
But I learned something last night in the midst of all the frustrations, and the fatigue, I learned that griping wont do anything to make the situation better. Sometimes, you just have to grin and bear it, and try to make the best of the situation. Plus, a little laughter always seems to help in these situations. (As does a spontaneous cheer, learned from my 8th grade cheer leading stint. Yelling, hand motions and all tend to make people smile and get past the frustrations a bit. " When I say love, you say track, Love--Track---Love---Track!!)
Another thing I learned that, no matter how slow you are, everyone deserves a cheer when they cross the finish line. Even if you walk, or slow down for a while, you must keep moving forward, and you must work past the pain.