Chapter 3 - The First Step

Lena woke up early the next morning, eager to start her training. She got dressed in her running clothes and headed to the park, where she had planned to do her first set of sprints. As she was stretching, she noticed a group of teenage boys eyeing her curiously.

"Hey, you look like you're about to run a marathon!" one of them said.

Lena smiled politely, but felt a twinge of insecurity. She had always been self-conscious about her body, and the thought of being watched made her nervous.

Undeterred, Lena began her sprints. She pushed herself to run faster and faster, feeling the wind in her hair and the sun on her face. But after a few minutes, she started to feel a sharp pain in her side. She slowed down, gasping for breath, and looked around to see if anyone had noticed.

To her surprise, the teenage boys were still there, cheering her on. "Come on, you got this!" they shouted.

Feeling encouraged, Lena pushed herself to keep going. She finished her sprints and collapsed on the grass, panting and sweating. As she looked up at the sky, she felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. She had taken the first step toward achieving her dream, and she was determined to keep going, no matter what obstacles lay ahead.