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How can a person overcome fear essay
How can a person overcome fear essay
An essay on the experience of overcoming fear
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Completing an ultramarathon a feat for anyone. However, for a 16 year old girl it seemed impossible. So why not? As a varsity cross country runner I am no stranger to running. The contradictory love-hate relationship strains the mind and body like to no other. My Junior year I started falling out of love with cross country, the distances, the races, and the running in general had gotten monotonous. I live by the phrase “You must be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” I constantly seek new challenges pushing myself beyond normal bounds. I wanted to do something incredible, so when I saw a sign for a 50k (31.5 mile) race in a few months I knew that it will be perfect!
I trained putting in the distance trying to get use to nonstop running unsure of what to expect. I knew it was like nothing I have ever attempted before. Now if you think I’m crazy, my friends thought the same, and you are probably right as a runner you are insane to subject your mind and body to something that excruciating. Why not a marathon? Marathons are generally run on asphalt while I enjoy trail running, in addition, people run those everyday so I knew I was within my limits to complete one. An ultramarathon was so far out of my comfort zone I couldn’t not do one. Only a select few people complete them, as it takes a
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tremendous amount of grit, passion, and dedication. Race day I showed up in a pair of shorts and a shirt; I was all sorts of out of my league. I was the only runner under 26 years old and they all carried their special gels and hand water bottles decked out to the max, total gearheads. For the race I had a few goals 1). Do not die. 2). Finish. 3). Do not sprint the first mile. 4). Run the first 10 miles straight out. 5). Do not freak out. and 6). Do not die. I kept these goals, though I’m still not sure about number one and six. The ultramarathon tested me in many ways I never imagined. Seven and a half hours of straight running meant my heart, soul, grit, and commitment was trampled on numerous times and I would be lying if I said I didn't want to quit frequently. At the end, I got my finishers medal and all I remember was thinking, “That was the best, worst thing I have ever done”. I met amazing people on the trails and I found out a lot about myself; as there were long stretches where I was confined to my head contemplating about how insane it was that I was running an ultra at 16 and how deranged it was! That race was unlike any obstacle I have ever faced. I got through it all 31.5 excruciating miles of it. It is surreal saying that I ran that far yet it’s apart of me. The 2 days following my race I was a wreck and was utterly useless. My body hates me for putting it through that grueling endeavor. However, I survived and I changed in my eyes. I consider myself an independent person and I do not need to change for anyone, but I showed myself what I can do and I know that I am able to take on anything that comes my way physically, mentally, or emotionally, as I pushed beyond my breaking point during this race.
I proved to myself and that I am a tough human being that can take on anything, one step at a time. There will be breakdowns as well as self and extrinsic doubt involved, but I will and can do anything. Many of my peers and teachers do not know I did this race and frankly, I don't need them to. I may not have changed in anyone else's eyes that day but for me everything changed. I raced for myself that
day.
...t used to running long distances. It’ll take even longer for a person to get used to racing long distances. Running/jogging long distances and actually racing long distances are two totally different things. Cross country also requires more energy than track. In track you get recovery time in between your races, but in cross country you run the 3.1 miles altogether with no breaks.
I have always loved sports and the competitiveness that comes along with them. In so doing, I have decided to eventually become either a high school or college coach at some point in my life. Subsequently, I decided to interview the Vilonia High School Cross Country Coach, Coach Sisson. As I walked into her office, I instantly noticed all of the trophies and team photos from all of the past years of coaching. She is also the school nurse so her office has first aid equipment intermingled into the trophies and team pictures. While I set up my notes and questions for the interview on one of the desks in her office, she was finishing up a diagnosis of one of the high school students who felt sick. After her patient left, I quickly started the interview in order to waste no time. She began with how she got involved in coaching. The Vilonia School District expressed their interest to her as being the next cross country coach several years ago. She was widely known for her passion for running and she gratefully accepted the position and has been a coach for numerous years now.
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.
Four days after winning the Seagate 100 km Ultramarathon in Toledo, Ohio, I was hospitalized for 11 days with Acute Kidney Failure, a direct consequence of the race, possibly exacerbated by the 2400 mg of ibuprofen that I took during the race. In this article, I will describe my race and my hospitalization, discuss similar experiences of two runners after the 1994 Western States (WS) 100 Mile Endurance Run, and tell what I have learned that might be of general interest.
Cross country is not a hard sport, contrary to popular belief. People often think that you have to be born with the stamina needed for running four or five miles at a time. There are so many different things people think is necessary, like running sprints, heavy miles or lifting weights and building strength, but in reality these things are minor. Although being physically fit is idealistic, it is not the most important thing needed to be successful because having a well-balanced, nutritious diet, pacing yourself and setting a strategy, and having the right positive attitude can put you in the shape to be a successful cross country runner.
There are even steps for cross country runners who aren’t as good as everyone else. The most important step in my opinion is to master walking without anyone seeing you. By doing this it lets people think that you hadn’t walked at all so they will think that you have more endurance than you actually do. Next when you do walk, fast walk. That way your pace isn’t as slow, therefore; it makes it even less noticeable that you walked. Lastly don’t compare yourself to anyone else in the race. You are doing what you can do they just may have been running for a lot longer than you. Set a goal of how fast you want to run and really work towards it. A good thing
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 course is weird, it’s a two lap which is good. This means you know exactly what the second half of the race was going to be like. Me as the 4th runner, and the 3 and 5 guys, went single file for a good ⅜ ofa mile and we were zooming around corners. during the back half of the race, I was really close to medaling. I went as fast as I could, I had no idea how fast the race had been, I thought when I saw the teens clicking by it was a 19:teens but I got closer and it was 18:17 I was astounded and straight out of breath. That race we were 4 points behind the 2nd place team, and they were in our district. That set us up for a good week and effort during practice because if we had a race at the district race, we were going to make it as a team to state,which is the goal all season long. I was not feeling great that week and I thought it was going to be like my first xc race finishing with a 16:02 time for 2.x miles and a lot of girls beating me. The morning of race day, I felt like crap, but the bus ride nap to maryville made me feel fine and ready to secure a spot to state. There was a lot of scepticism from the seniors, who were facing their last
The start of the 2002 track season found me concerned with how I would perform. After a disastrous bout with mononucleosis ended my freshmen track season, the fear of failure weighed heavily on my mind. I set a goal for myself in order to maintain focus and to push myself like nothing else would. My goal for my sophomore track season was to become a state champion in the 100 meter hurdles. I worked hard everyday at practice and went the extra mile, like running every Sunday, to be just that much closer to reaching my goal. The thought of standing highest on the podium in the center of the field, surrounded by hundreds of spectators, overcame my thoughts of complaining every time we had a hard workout. When I closed my eyes, I pictured myself waiting in anticipation as other competitors names were called out, one by one, until finally, the booming voice announced over the loudspeaker, "...and in first place, your 2002 100 meter hurdle champion, from Hotchkiss, Connie Dawson." It was visions like these that drove me to work harder everyday.
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 exhaustion you feel after finally crossing the finish line at a marathon is like nothing you have felt before. You are completely drained physically, mentally, and emotionally. Your legs hurt to the bone, at the same time you are gasping for air while your throat screams for moisture. All of this is a small price to pay for the overwhelming feeling of self pride and accomplishment you are overcome with. Running the marathon is only half of the process. Training is very important with steps such as finding motivation, diet, safety, stretching, and last preparations the day of the marathon. With many physical, mental, and social benefits the hardship is well worth it. I greatly enjoy running and hope to one day run a full marathon.
Jesse Owens once said, “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, and self discipline, and effort.” Running track was always a dream of mine. Since I was a little girl, I always loved to run around the house, backyard, shopping store, everywhere. I had a lot of energy in me when I was little and my mom would call me a “busy body.” I struggled finding something I was good at that I actually enjoyed. My coach motivated me to run hurdles because she said I was tall and lanky. I had the body of an hurdler. Also it was something positive and kept me active while doing something I loved.I was determined to make this dream come true. Not only run track in grade school, but to be the best at my events and become the best and have numerous gold medals from the Olympics.
This sport was surely not my first choice. Honestly, once my mom and friends talked me into doing Cross Country, I was truly scared. It to...
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.
was the challenge. If I were to just simply run this race, it would be