In Her Own Words: Kayla Johnson
Tuesday:
We got to meet the other wonderful teammates at a hotel in Miami.
Wednesday:
We left Miami to Cuba. It was a short but bumpy ride. We went through a checkpoint when we got off the plane and into the cigar-scented airport. There was a passageway where there was a buzzing door to let us into Cuba after they checked our passport and paperwork. When we walked out the airport, two buses were waiting outside. We started to drive to the hotel, on the way I saw old and odd automobiles I've never seen. We also saw raggedy houses that were in shambles. Although some homes were beaten down, others looked like nicer. I also got to see the US Embassy. When arrived to the hotel in Cuba, Symone and I started to explore the massive hotel. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever witnessed. We both found a way to the beach after searching for sometime to do a light jog. The shore of the beach were literally hard rocks! So we just jogged closer to the gate that surrounded the hotel. Later that evening we all went to dinner. They catered the food for us and it was delightful. We also had a meeting and a small session.
Thursday:
I got to see the track. It was a big stadium. It had a structure I've never seen before. When we walk into the stadium, their was an enclosed wide room with a few couches and pictures on the walls. When you keep going straight ahead, you will enter this pit that encircles the track and field. To go on the track you will have to take a flight of stairs on the field from the pit. The stadium seats were rusted and eroded. The track had a few faults but nothing major. We ate dinner and I found out I was running the 800m Saturday evening.
Friday:
I got to tour Old Havana. First we went to this marketplace to buy souvenirs. After gathering up our belongings we started to walk into Old Havana. We were supposed to stay close together but somehow the group ahead of mine created distance. I was taking pictures then suddenly the leading group vanished. We didn't know if they went straight ahead, left or right. We asked people if they saw the other group each direction we went. At first we went straight, the went the left way. It turned out that they went right. We were now severely separated from them. We started asking people for directions to the place we were supposed to meet at. We were a long walking distance from the meeting point. To make up time, we rode in a horse and carriage to the meeting point. When we arrived to the meeting point, but the bus already left. So we took a taxi to the hotel. The taxi I rode in isn't like the ones in New York, it was an older truck. Later at the hotel, we ate lunch and then went back to the track because some teammates had to run in the evening. After the meet one of the Cuban athletes gave me a rose and a kiss on the cheek. Then left the track and ate dinner. We had another session, but this one was my favorite. We did cool activities that brought us closer. After, we went to bed.
Saturday:
Saturday was the big day. The evening group, the one I was on, left the hotel around 3:30pm. I got to sleep in, after I ate my breakfast of course. At 3:30 we left for the track. When it was time to warm up I went to the beaten down practice track. I waited for my event to be called in Spanish. We walked through this dark pathway that's in between the stadium and the practice track. Then we walked on the side of the track from the 200 to the starting line. I was on the line and the said the starting commands in Spanish also. Then the gun went off. I ran a low 2:10. The race was very fast paced because I was running with older women. After the 800m I ran the 4x4, we were given a big lead by Symone. Joy and Timetria kept it. I was the anchor leg so I had to finish strong. After the races were over we traded some of our gear with the other teams. Then we departed to the hotel. We changed into our bathing suits and went in the pool. We swam for quite a while and played pool games. Then we started to play some music by the poolside and chatted a little. We stayed their until about 2 in the morning because we didn't have to run the next day. After, we went to sleep in our rooms.
Sunday:
On Sunday morning we said our goodbyes to Cuba. We all flew back to Miami. From there I went to my house, unlike most of the team which had to take other planes to their homes. Overall, Cuba was a very interesting and different place. It was nice to see different cultures. Next, I will be going to New Mexico, New Balance and then I'll try out for World Juniors.