Put yourself in Lauren Boden's shoes, even if it's just for a moment.
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You're an Olympian and a hurdling national champion, and you're at the starting line again trying to chase a qualifying time for another major international meet.
The race will only be recognised as an official qualifier if there are enough competitors, but Boden has been here before. She's been the one asking people to start the race against her, offering to pay their entry fee to make sure the time she runs is recognised at the highest level.
Boden walks to the starting blocks, looks to her left and then she sees it. Mum Kerry has found some spikes and is going to race her daughter over the hurdles.
"Most people just start and don't make the first hurdle. Mum got through 200 or 300 metres and enjoyed it," said Boden as the emotions started to spill over.
"From the local level all the way top the Olympics ... I've had love and support. It really does mean everything to me. Mum and dad have always been there."
Boden officially ended her athletics career this week, announcing her retirement after 13 national titles, two Olympic Games, four Commonwealth Games and a lifetime of memories.
Her remarkable journey started in 2006 when she traded the classroom for the track, selected in the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
This time she's trading the track for the classroom, stepping away from competitive hurdling to move on to the next phase of her life as a teacher.
The 33-year-old has known for a long time she was nearing the end. She considered retirement after the Commonwealth Games in 2018, but pushed on to chase Tokyo Olympic selection.
Ultimately she fell just short of that, slipping down the order of selection to painfully miss out on becoming a three-time Olympian.
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In the end it didn't matter, because running has never been about winning, losing or making teams. It was about being the first to Little Athletics with parents Neil and Kerry, setting up everything and then the icy poles when they were the last to leave.
Decades later Kerry and Neil were still waiting on Boden, this time in their role as Commonwealth Games officials on the Gold Coast.
Athletics has always been about friendships and family for Boden. Like working with coach Matt Beckenham for almost 20 years, and training alongside Melissa Breen for about the same length of time.
Boden, Breen and Beckenham stood side by side when they walked into the London Stadium for their Olympic debut in 2012. "That was special. That was the moment we felt like, 'We're here'," Boden says.
There's a long list of accolades to get through, but cracking the 55-second barrier for the 400 metres hurdles was at the top. Boden stopped the clock at 54.87 seconds three years ago to set a personal best at the age of 30.
"I think 'content' is pretty much spot on. After 2018 I had a feeling in my stomach that I could run faster than I had," Boden said.
"I'm so thankful that I pursued that, I had the belief of Matt Beckenham, family and friends behind me that there was a lot more to achieve.
"I'm grateful I didn't give up on that feeling and I was finally able to crack 55 seconds. I felt I could still go faster as well.
"I didn't make Tokyo with the new points system, but I felt like I achieved everything I could and I no longer had that intense drive or that internal passion to push harder every session. That was the inkling for me that it was time to step back."
Boden will take on a different role at the ACT championships this weekend. For the first time in as long as she can remember, she'll be a spectator rather than a competitor.
No more rushing around to convince rivals to race against her, no longer having to pay entry fees for others so she can chase a qualifying time. But like always, her family - both blood-related and athletics-related - will be there.
"If I ever had to run a time trial in the depths of winter before going to Europe, mum and dad have been there on the stop watch or behind the camera. No questions asked, they were just there to support," Boden said.
"I've forged so many fantastic relationships. I can't go past Matt and I, as a coach and a friend. Melissa, and everyone in the squad.
"It's always been about representing myself and my country to the highest level. I never wanted to be on a team for a tracksuit ... I've done everything I could to get the best results.
"I'll always stay involved. In what capacity, I don't know. But I know this is the time for me to stop."
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