Gemotions

The biting wind whipped around Elena as she waited on the bench. A long-distance runner, she had always found peace in the solitude of the miles. The coach, seeing a need for a new role, asked her to run shorter sprints, to build up the team's speed.

The starting gun fired, and she pushed off the blocks, her legs burning. She fell behind the pack. The short, explosive bursts were a world away from the steady rhythm of a marathon. Her breath came in ragged gasps.

The other sprinters seemed to fly past her, and a feeling of inadequacy washed over her. She watched them celebrate, their faces filled with exhilaration. She felt an emptiness, a hollowness that even the finish line couldn't fill. The change felt unnatural, exhausting.