Reflecting on the feedback I’ve received for 1600m, this writing process has been an exciting balance between building tension and deepening character development. One area where the story has resonated is in its depiction of perseverance and personal struggle, though there are still aspects that could be enhanced.  My initial focus on the race and practice scenes seems to have engaged readers, but the rension could be amplified further. I particularly like the suggestion to include a moment of pre-race nerves, such as my protagonist putting on her spikes and dealing with the need to pee. That small, humanizing detail could offer a brief release of tension, only heighten it…

1600M I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I step up to the line. My pulse thrums in my ears. “Set!” The world narrows to the track in front of me. I hold my breath. Bang! The gun cracks. We’re off. The first 100 meters is chaos—elbows jostling—runners fighting for the inside lane. Feet pound the track. I focus on not clipping the girl in front of me. It’s a mile, just four laps, but it feels like an eternity. Stay calm. I’ve run this race a hundred times before, but today? Today, the next six minutes will define everything. My entire running career boiled down to this. Warm-ups…

1600M I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I step up to the line. My pulse thrums in my ears. “Set!” The world narrows to the track in front of me. I hold my breath. Bang! The gun cracks. We’re off. The first 100 meters is chaos—elbows jostling, runners fighting for the inside lane. Feet pound the track, and I focus on not clipping the girl in front of me. It’s a mile, just four laps, but it feels like an eternity. Stay calm. I’ve run this race a hundred times before, but today? Today, the next six minutes will define everything. My entire running career boiled down to…

1600M I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I step up to the line. My pulse thrums in my ears. “Set!” The world narrows to the track in front of me. I hold my breath. Bang! The gun cracks. We’re off. The first 100 meters is chaos—elbows jostling, runners fighting for the inside lane. Feet pound the track, and I focus on not clipping the girl in front of me. It’s a mile, just four laps, but it feels like an eternity. Stay calm. I’ve run this race a hundred times before, but today? Today, the next six minutes will define everything. My entire running career boiled down to…