By Katherine Cook

The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat.

I believe few track & field events exemplify both quite as tangibly as the 100 meter hurdles. It's an opinion I formed through my own experience, from the time I cleared my first hurdle as a skinny 13-year-old, to my last 100 meter hurdles race as senior at Western Oregon University. So when I watched American hurdler Lolo Jones on Tuesday, it struck a chord.

Following her agonizing defeat in the 100 meter hurdles, she likened life to a hurdles race. In her case, a race that rendered her medal-less after clipping the ninth barrier and blowing what had been a convincing lead.

"All I could think of was just getting back on my two feet and standing strong,'' Jones said.

As I watched her stumble across the finish line and listened to her gracious post-race interview, I had to fight back tears from my own eyes. I know it's "only" a sport and believe me, I have NO idea what it feels like to be an elite athlete, but there's a universal understanding that comes with tripping over something that you've put your heart and soul into-- no matter who you are or what your "hurdle" may be. There's also a universal respect for someone who stands up again after they've fallen... in front of everyone.

As the saying goes, "Sometimes life throws you hurdles..." and I know what if feels like to eat track-- ask Coach Bill Miller at Reynolds High School about my first track meet my freshman year! But I also know what it feels like to persevere, grow and succeed. And thanks to Jones' grace, spirit and class, I'm sure everyone in the world who was watching her on Tuesday-- athlete or not-- will know how that feels too.

Katherine Cook

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