Personal Narrative Essay: The Cross Country

“There’s not much you can do here; if you want you can go home, that is completely fine with me.” Unable to compete and train, I was now useless to both the team and the coach. It would have been convenient for me to capitulate and indulge my laziness; to sit at home after practice every day while my teammates were hard at work, training to better themselves. I refused to accept my coach’s suggestion to surrender. I refused to throw in the towel. I refused to squander my time. Instead, for the remainder of the season, I seized every opportunity to work towards the improvement of myself and my team.

The news of my injury came at an unfortunate time in the year; the Cross Country season had just begun, and my teammates and I were eager to compete after a summer of arduous preparation. A stress fracture running down the center of my left femur had ended my prospects in an instant. My inability to run on my feet meant that the bicycle would become my best friend. During longer runs, I would ride alongside the team, carrying bottles of water and a first-aid kit---something which I needed to use on my teammates on more than one occasion---while giving them the reinforcement and encouragement they

It wasn't until several months later that I was cleared by my orthopedist to return to running. In retrospect, I found that my time spent while I was injured served to enhance my capacity as an athlete, but more importantly as a teammate. In my inability to help my teammates through competing, I was able to support my teammates in a manner which affected real change and would enhance the team as a whole for many years to come. We often refer to Cross Country an individual sport because you are your only opponent as you race against your personal record. However, standing at the finish line while cheering on my teammates as they crossed that final threshold, I felt more a part of a team than ever