Running for My Life free essay sample

Bang! The flash of the muzzle paired with the crack of the starter’s gun ends the hushed pre-race nervousness and begins a chaotic five-kilometer chase for the finish. A sea of colored uniforms begins to meld together into a crowd of bobbing heads, swinging arms, and pumping legs. My spiked shoes dig into the ground, flinging dirt behind me with each step and bringing me one stride closer to the end. â€Å"Thank God I put in my half-inch spikes,† I think to myself as I trudge through ankle deep mud. â€Å"Wow this is terrific, I feel strong and confident. Nothing can stop me!† After three years of running Cross Country, I should have known better than to assume this feeling would last. This naive attitude at the beginning of the race is a result of a sudden adrenaline rush as well as my relief that the culmination of all my hard training was here. We will write a custom essay sample on Running for My Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The summer months of training forty to fifty miles a week in the ruthless heat while all my friends were sleeping in was finally about to pay off. Unfortunately for my oblivious self, that adrenaline rush and mindset would change in a remarkably short period of time. â€Å"Are you joking, that was only three kilometers? It feels like I have been running for an hour straight!† My calves are throbbing, my throat is burning, my lungs feel like Mike Tyson is squeezing the air out with all his might and I am barely halfway done. This is the point in a race where my mind’s self defense mechanisms spring into action. â€Å"Quick, think of something inspirational, like a quote.† Winston Churchill once said, â€Å"If you’re going through hell, keep going.† That’s a lot easier said than done. Churchill must have never run a 5k. As my mind desperately attempts to distract itself, my legs continue to churn and the scenery blurs by. Eventually, the final uphill stretch to the finish appears. Although people are yelling at me to begin my final kick, everything seems silent. Suddenly the pain falls away and I feel like I am floating. I watch myself as my legs pound faster and faster into the ground and the finish line approaches. Closer, closer, closer and done! All the noise and complete exhaustion come flooding back. I collapse and lay on the ground breathing heavily, but I am exhilarated. After the race as I received congratulatory pats and handshakes, I realized how insignificant and quick that short stretch of pain was. I did not remember the pain and mental anguish; I only remembered the thrill of crossing the finish line with a personal record time. All the preparation and work had built up to that moment and it was all well worth it. Long distance running has taught me that committing myself completely to any task I attempt would bring great things. The work and pain will last a short while, but ultimately the results are what will last. Running for My Life free essay sample Growing up, I’d always envied my friends who had lived in one town their whole lives. Coming from a military family, this was not an option. My brothers and I soon found that moving had its perks and downfalls. We liked the fact that if we didn’t like a place we had moved to, we’d soon be moving someplace new. Although I despised being the â€Å"new girl†, I did get to meet a variety of people and experience things many haven’t. Through all the ups and downs, I now realize that everything I’ve done, seen, learned has made me into the person I am today. Field day was the best day ever created. Being big into sports seemed to help me find my niche at a new school. Despite the 100 degree weather in San Antonio, Texas, I grew up engulfed in outdoor activities. If we were lucky, my dad would take the family mountain biking and hiking after school. We will write a custom essay sample on Running for My Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I took gymnastics at competition level. My brother and I were on the swim team and took karate. These are the things I remember about my childhood. For many years, I did not realize that we were not the typical American family. To our family, we were normal. Most families don’t exercise every day because it’s â€Å"fun†. Now I thank my parents for instilling these crucial principles, which I will have with me the rest of my life. I was always the shy girl- the shy girl that was really fast and good at kickball. Being labeled this way didn’t bother me until I reached junior high, when I was labeled for everything. Girls judged me by what I wore, who I talked to, how skinny I was, everything. I felt like I’d never done anything to deserve such criticism. It was not until last year that I realized that some girls will pick you apart until you either break down and become a mean girl like them or stay different and live your life according to your principles. I decided to be my own person. The mean girls at my school didn’t like this, and I was shunned for being different and because I was nice. I never thought that being nice could cause you to be disliked. Anyways, I began hanging out with guys. We had a lot in common because we both like the outdoors and sports. They were accepting and non-judgmental. I am now content in knowing that I am my own person and don’t let others control my life.