>> reporter: the california state championships for cross-country began well enough for 16-year-old holland reynolds. >> number 695 from san francisco university, now in third place. >> reporter: but 2 1/2 miles into the 3-mile race something went badly wrong. >> what happened? >> my legs started to feel really, really heavy. i just felt like i couldn't run fast anymore. >> she is in severe duress here, trying to finish up. >> i actually thought i was running. when you watch the video, i'm not. i'm pretty much walking. >> reporter: then just shy of the finish line she crumpled into a heap. >> oh, boy, with about five meters hopefully she will get back up. >> her coach watched from the sidelines in horror. >> as soon as she hit the ground, my heart dropped. >> reporter: jim tracy, diagnosed last summer with lou gehrig's disease, knows what it's like when your legs don't cooperate. >> but her right arm came up in like a swimming motion and reached out to pull her forward. and then her left arm. and i said, she's crawling in. and i said, that's a champion.