One minute you're on a Manhattan sidewalk, the next you're in this whole other world. The world I'm talking about is the armory on 168th street in uptown Manhattan. On January 19th, 2002 a great event took place. High school track teams from around the world competed head to head for bragging rights. "This is my second year being on the track team, and I'm training six days a week just to keep up with my peers" says 15 year old Dante Cook a student at St. John's Prep. With six hundred runners and ten events and only one place for first, the tension between runners can build very quickly.

Another thing that was building up quickly at the amory was the crowds applause. You had every mom and dad screaming for their son or daughter to run faster and bring home a first place medal. The atmosphere at the armory was so emotional, many tears of joy dropped. This is what kept the audience out of their seats. "The dedication in these teams is so impressive. Runners are getting ready for something they have probably trained their whole lives for," said Robert Rogers, A. Philip Randolph High School's track coach. And while talking to Mr. Rogers I had to fully agree with him. You can't help but to watch in awe at the spirit of each runner. That spirit is shown through how every track team member runs in their own style and pace.

This particular meet had its own style too. That's because the entire event was ran in relay. Enita Okodiko, a Olympic bound runner says relay is better for a team, because it shows how each member has to depend on each other. To make this event possible, every team had to depend on each other. it also made this meet so electric, that it was a whole world within it's self.