Last Spring my 15 year old daughter, Anna, was running hurdles for her middle school track team. I happened to be a spectator at one race. It was the day that she made a name for herself and added to the history of Niederriter fame.

From the moment the “crack” of the starters pistol began the race, I knew this was going to be a special day for the Niederriter family. Anna sprung off the starting line and barreled down her lane. She cleared the first few hurdles like a deer leaping across a meadow.  She took on the next hurdle like she was riding a super charged pogo stick.

Then the trouble began.

Her foot just grazed the top of the next hurdle. The hurdle wobbled ever so slightly and Anna went on her way. However, this brief contact with the hurdle set into motion a chain of events like a string of dominoes falling down.  Indeed, people still talk about the day that my daughter set a new mile stone for the sport.

The action picks up at the next hurdle. With her perfect rhythm delayed a teeny, tiny bit, she misjudged her distance to the next hurdle.

Wham!

She kicked the top of the hurdle with enough force to knock it to the ground. This caught the attention of the crowd. All eyes were on her as she recovered and kept hurling down the track.  She sprung up into the air and it seemed all was going well….

Ka-Wham!

She struck the hurdle with the full force her five foot, six inch body could muster.  I still remember the horrid feeling that gripped my heart as I watched my sweet little girl became a living bowling ball. Legs, arms and blond hair were all tangled up with the hurdle as they tumbled towards the finish line. 

A hush fell on the stadium as Anna weaved right and left, knocking down and entangling more hurdles.  Distracted by the commotion, the other runners began to crash into their hurdles and plunge into the growing ball of rising dust.

Coaches, equipment handlers and teammates fled in all directions, running for their lives!  An official, in desperation began firing the starter’s blank pistol at Anna!

Suddenly, all was still.

As the dust settled, a figure emerged from the mêlée, Anna came out from the dust cloud, her blonde hair bobbing on her shoulders as she jogged across the finish line, just like nothing had happened!

Being that this is a fair and balanced letter, I have allowed Anna to comment on the previous bit.  She claims that I mostly made it all up, but admits to having fallen down, once, after knocking down a single hurdle. 

Now who are you going to believe?