The Blessing of Cross Country and Track
When I was in 9th grade my PE coach asked me to Pole Vault for our track team. I thought he was crazy but I wanted to impress a guy that was on the team so I agreed to try. When I started going to practice the coach of the boys team made me run. I thought he was crazy. I wasn't a runner, I cheered. Cheerleading was the only thing I was good at and had a shot at going to college for. But like I said I wanted to impress someone. So I ran and since there was only two other girls that ran distance on the team he put me in a meet a month into my training. That was the worst 800 I ever ran but I'm proud of myself for getting out there even if was for just a guy.
Skipping through the rest of that season I joined cross country. Everyone on my cheer team thought I was crazy as hell for running over a mile let alone 3.1 for a race. But I liked it. It seem to help work though a lot of stress and anger I had. I ended up being the second top girl for the rest of the seasons to come. And now it helps me though everything I think I can't get though. A good easy run always seems to help when I just want to cry.
This past track season I did something I never thought I could. I went to state in track for the 3200. At conference I was placed to get 5th and my coachs said I could get 4th and go to state, but I didn't beleive I could. I got on the starting line and was a totally different person when I finished. I ran the first 3 laps in 5th and then I passed is long legged blonde from a school in blue, and stayed in 4th till the very end. My best friend of 12 years died on New Years of health complications. I just told myself that I wasn't going thought as much as she had. I kept pushing and pushing until I had no more. And when I crossed the finish line I puked and puked and puke. My schools rival coach ended up throwing me a water bottle and I threw up all over it. Then he sent one of his girls to come hold my hair back. After throwing up a good 4 time I grabbed a new water and sprayed my face and there water bottle off. Then I looked and my dad and I started bawling. (He was one of our coaches) and I never felt more proud of myself. Our rivals coach ended up telling me that he put two girls in that race to come at keep me from going to state and they didn't even touch me.
Moral of my story is there's always something in you that you might not believe you have. But you have to push yourself to find out. And finding all of that made me gain so much self confidence. Cross country and track have been the biggest blessing in my life and I thank jesus for everyday for making me want to impress that guy in 9th grade and pushing self all the way to state.
- Anonymous
