This application would fail to capture the true essence of who I am if I did not delve deeper into my relationship with the great sport of running. The feeling that you get when you lace up your shoes and begin to run is hard to describe. When running, it is as if all of the worries ricocheting around in my head suddenly disappear. All that I need to focus on is the steady rhythmic pattern of my feet hitting the ground, my arms swinging back and forth, and the air leaving and entering me as my lungs operate steadily. The complexities consuming my everyday life seem to vanish as I charge down the empty road. I am just running. Simply. Running is something that I pursue that always seems to confound people. So many times I have been …show more content…
I would wake up every morning and run, always thinking about my regimen, and always using every mile as inspiration for the end goal: qualification for the State Finals in November. I ran 600 miles that summer. Inexplicably, though, I fell off towards the end of that season. At the conference meet I struggled to finish, and at the regional meet (the state-qualifier meet), I had to drop out. I remember getting in my parent’s car for the long drive home and closing my eyes and finally letting it all out. Warm tears fell down my face. How could this happen to me? I thought. Whatever happened to the saying “hard work pays off,” that is preached by the famous athletes and teachers? I had worked incredibly hard, and I was sitting in our car after a race in which I was unable to finish. Here is an example of one of the low lows of a runner. This was probably the lowest of lows for me. But two weeks later, after the fervor of cross country was over, I was running again. No one told me to, it was simply the resilience of a runner that was hard-wired inside of me. That winter and then later that spring, I qualified for both the indoor and outdoor state finals for track. And the next year, I was able to qualify and compete in the finals for cross-country. That is the amazing thing about running, and about life. Failure is always happening at inopportune times,
They race against themselves: to conquer their wills, to transcend their weaknesses, to beat back their nightmares" (603). This quotation shows that running is not always competition, but it helps runners overcome their
My whole life, I always gyrated around sports, this athletic attribute carried all through high school. I spent my whole high school career running on the Track team. There I met my track coach Luis. I met him when I was a freshman, at that occasion I saw him as my coach and nothing more. Later on, I asked if I could work out with him after practice in the school’s weight room. My intention was to become faster and stronger. I wanted to achieve my goal of becoming the great athlete that I’ve been dreaming about ever since I was eight years old. I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I wanted to transform myself into a better version of myself. I wanted the Erik of today to be better than the Erik of yesterday. From then on, it was all history. He took me under his wing as a student, but as his
Running is an action or a movement, but actually it serves as more than just that. Running is what the human body was made to since the creation of the human species. Over many years of evolution the body has evolved and become adaptable to different types of running. Many who begin running at such a young age whether it is long distance or sprints,but have never stopped and realized, wait how is this affecting my body? Many believe that there is all good to running and that no harm can come from it. Others may argue that it comes with a series of lasting internal injuries that may not affect them at the moment but affect them in the long run. The physical characteristics associated with running can come with a list of positives, but have we forgot about the negatives ? Runners remain with lasting injuries that serve as injurious to the body . The benefits and downfalls in the physical aspects of running serve in areas such as the heart, bones, and joints.
I am now officially in my Senior year of Cross Country , and am close to the end of my season. My first race of this year though was a big accomplishment for me, because I hadn`t been able to run. When I ran that race though it made me just so happy I was able to finish it, I was`nt happy with the time, but there is always time for improvement. I was glad to be racing again and being apart of the team again. I believe that my injuries were a barrier in my way, but they did not stop my sports career.
to keep running and never stop.” This mission statement is to motivate past and future runners in
With amenities such as cars and buses, I have no pragmatic reason to use my feet, especially if I lack a destination. I do not run to the gym to acquire a stylish figure, for my slender frame does not require it. And this grueling run differs from a relaxing jog to a coffee shop. I am pushing myself constantly to run faster and farther, for my team as well as for personal glory. Somehow with tireless effort and unflagging commitment, I run through the sleeping streets of my neighborhood with the awareness that I am steadily reaching my goal-maintaining the discipline that cross-country demands. In my mind I see a victory line that symbolizes the results of perseverance and hard work. This line makes me realize that ambition and tenacity do not go in vain.
Of the more than twenty million Americans who are running today, most who start do so for the wrong reasons, with the wrong attitude, and tend to lose interest after a few weeks or months. Many quit. This is usually because they become concerned with superficial goals such as time and distance and never discover the more profound mental benefits that running offers. (Lilliefors 15)
The 100 meter dash was left as the last event, and was exclusive to the runners who had achieved the fastest times from each of the previous events. Upon hearing this information, I immediately became worried that I had not even qualified for the last race of the season, and felt instantly defeated. To my surprise, I had managed to qualify, but was placed in the slowest heat. If I managed to win this heat, I would be moved to the final race overall that would determine the medal winners. I managed achieve second place in my heat, preventing me from qualifying for the final race. I felt extremely disappointed with myself, and knew that I had failed my team and myself overall. Due to my overconfidence from the start of the season, I had not achieved any of the goals I had set for myself and had not received a medal either. For these reasons, I consider my first year of high school track and field as a
Running has always been that sport that I took advantage of to let everything go and to use it to express my anger and to strengthen my mind to keep fighting through the hard times. I wasn’t confident in who I was and when someone asked me who I am, it would take me awhile to really analyze who I really was, what makes me, me. But, the problem wasn’t that I did not know, the problem was that I was not confident in who I am, I had a negative mindset of myself since no one expected anything good from me and I took it to heart. Realizing that I had to heal from the feelings that I was feeling, it was as if I hated and loved myself, I would lift myself up and at the same time put myself down. I was experiencing many things that I just wrote them down, and soon I wrote lyrics everytime I felt sad or happy I sang, improvised and just wrote them down on paper. I also started to use art as a form to express myself through those feelings specifically
Athletics has made a difference in my life through its redefining of the word “success.” Before I got involved with track and cross country, success was measured by goals I set and achieved for myself that made me happy. Since then, I have realized that success is much more gratifying when it is dependent on making those around me proud. In track, success is when I have trained hard enough so that I am able to help my relay team win a race or break the school record. In cross country, success is when I have built up enough endurance to contribute to the team score and help my team move on to the state meet. This mentality has translated to my daily life, as I am constantly working hard to please those around me. At school, I always do my homework and get good grades so that my teachers do not have to focus extra energy on getting me to do my work. At work, I strive to go above and beyond my typical duties so that I can lessen the responsibilities of my co-workers. At home, I help out with chores without being asked so that my parents can have one less thing
I knew that I was going to run my heart out. It took a lot of time, patience, and determination go get where I am now. Eventually, the terrifying, life-changing day came. My final race day as a LaPorte Slicer. All of my brothers (my teammates) were anxious to start. With my foot right behind the white line, I looked to my brothers and said, "It's some of our last race today, lets run as a pack and kick some butt today." They shook their heads in agreement. Then came silence, the time before a race where everyone was silent, even the spectators, waiting to hear the crack of the starting gun. The gun cracked and off we went. My legs were so used to the motions and aching pain that they did exactly as they were told, without protest. Eventually, the team split up and I was near nobody on my team. Some fell behind while others sprang forward running faster than I did. Halfway through the race, I remembered my coach saying, "Find someone ahead of you, and pass them. After that, do it again, push yourself to run faster and let nobody pass you." I did exactly what he said, feeling like a car in the passing lane; I passed guy after guy. Each one took more time than the last, but I did what I had to
The running phenomenon has blended into society in many different aspects of our lives. This does not only include track and field, but also cross country, road-racing, and jogging for health and leisure. Many Americans make running an essential part of their day. Running is not only good for your heart and lungs, but it is very beneficial for relieving stress, keeping your metabolism high, and keeping you trim and muscular. Another expanding characteristic of running is using it as a social experience. It is a part of people’s routine to meet with friends and to catch up with one another.
I love to run hurdles, but unfortunately last year, little pulls and strains prevented me from running to my full potential. One Thursday, we had a home track meet against Lake Stevens. For the first time I was in pretty good shape for my race, the 100-meter hurdles. I began jumping up and down partially to stay warm, and partially to let out some of my excitement. By this time, I had butterflies in my stomach and the adrenaline was pumping. The starter asked us to 'Take your sweats off and stand behind your blocks.' 'Runners take your marks.' Hands shaking, I crouched into the starting blocks. The gun was up. 'Set!' 'Bang!' I bolted out of the blocks. I was way ahead of the other girls when suddenly, I realized I didn't have enough speed to carry me over the next hurdle. Gathering all of the strength I could, I grabbed at the air in hopes of guaranteeing clearance. I had just brushed over the wood when my foot hit the ground and my ankle gave out. I fell. I heard a gasp from the crowd and the other racers' feet pounding past me. I got back up. I had never gone over a hurdle with my right leg first, but I did after that fall. Sprinting as fast as I could in between hurdles, I found myself basically bunny hopping over the rest of them. My goal was to cross that finish line and to be able to say that I did the very best that I could, even if I didn't look very graceful along the way. Although it might have seemed like a bad day, I was proud. It was the first time I had ever fallen in a race, and not only did I get back up and keep running, I managed to place second.
The Varsity group was supposed to run 5 miles, the Junior Varsity group was supposed to run 4 miles, and I, along with the rest of my group, was supposed to run a measly 2 miles. Because my group was so slow and inexperienced, everyone had to walk at least once during the run. I didn’t give up so easily. I ran at a relatively easy pace as I thought about how I could prove my coach wrong. As I ran, I felt the air blow against both my face and my body. I saw cars going back and forth on the road, and bikers pedaling along the path smoothly. I smelled the fresh air that was laced with the smell of my sweat, which had developed due to the heat. I heard my soft, even breaths and my pounding feet hitting the gravel path. Before I knew it, I was ahead of everyone else in my group. Then it hit me. “Maybe this is it,” I thought. “This is how I can make the coach reconsider her decision. I can run faster than everyone else, and then she’ll see that I’m not what she thought I was.” This simple verdict made me push my legs to run even faster, as I was elated to prove my coach wrong. I kept
The miles increased each week and before I knew it, the last long run before the marathon was only twenty miles. Then came the marathon, 26.2 miles of runners’ high, pain, agony, and unstable weather.