Running
Running has been part of my life since I was little. My siblings and I were introduced to track and field at a young age. I was too young to even compete, but I was still allowed to run unattached. Running is definitely a gift my family possesses. I first started off as a sprinter……I was a little speedy. I was known in school for my speed and athletic ability. I took a great deal of pride in it. It was one of the main things that defined me. It kept me out of trouble and was a positive activity in my life. As the years went by…….so did running. Slowly I transitioned from sprinting to distance. My first mile I ran I placed 3rd in and receive my first medal!!! I was ecstatic, and it was the push I needed to really focus on running. My parents supported my sisters and I and played a major role in our training and progress. Of course, with distance there is cross country. For the first time, I was able to make a right hand turn in a race…..(lol). My sisters and I didn’t just stick to the local races. We got involved with the national racing scene. We went to the USA Junior Nationals for track and field along with cross country.
I continued to run in high school and excelled in it. I was the junior state cross country champion, named best of state that year, which was followed by my qualification for the USA Junior Worlds Mtn. Running Team. We got to race in Italy against the other teams around the world. It definitely was a great experience. After high school I went to college to run, but wanted to mix things up a bit, as well as make some life decisions. My uncles were really involved in triathlons, and I decided to get involved with the tri scene. I’ve been doing it ever since.
Running will always be apart of my life. It is a great way to relieve stress, emotional tension, and frustration in a positive and healthy way. Whether I’m competing or just doing it for the love of it, it is something you can always better yourself in and push yourself to new depths. It is a way to learn your body and be in tune with it. I’ve come to know my body and its limits through personal experience, and running is a key to that knowledge. There is much more to learn and grow in mind, body, and in spirit. It all comes down to balance. We are people of excess. We are on one spectrum or the other. When we learn that balance only good things will come.