I’d never tried competing in a relay race before, but I promised my boyfriend we’d join the community sports event if his team won their last match—and they did. Feeling out of my depth, I turned to my stepsister for help. She was a seasoned runner with plenty of experience, and I needed her coaching to get me ready. She showed up with all the gear—running shoes, a stopwatch, and a plan to train me. On the field, she guided me through stretches and sprints, teaching me how to pace myself and pass the baton smoothly. Just as we were hitting our stride, my boyfriend arrived to join the practice. I thought about asking my stepsister to step back, but her encouragement was exactly what I needed for my first race. She helped us both perfect our handoff technique, taking turns running drills until we were in sync. When the big day came, we raced together as a team, and crossing the finish line felt exhilarating. My stepsister cheered us on, and afterward, we all celebrated with high-fives, confident we could tackle the next race on our own.
