Personal Narrative: How Running Has Changed My Life

During my final year of Cross Country around Regionals at Oglethorpe, I ran my final race for my high school career. Banks County was nearly number one in the State, the furthest we had ever ranked in history, and spirit and hopes for State Championship were high. I was nervous, like nobody’s business, I had messed up during my senior night because I was upset for my parents for not showing up and escorting me. And I was scared that I was going to do horribly. But as I ran, I realized that if I let my past mistakes and failures hold me back or get in my way, so I ran, harder and better than I ever had before and apparently even beat a “skinny kid”. It was my best and proudest moment for both of the seasons. I will always remember it fondly,

Our practices are at 5:00 in the morning every day. We had been running in fairly cool temperatures. Most cross country races start at 8:00-10:00 in the morning, but this race started at 12:30 in the afternoon. It was so hot; it was 97 degrees. I knew it was going to be miserable because even just standing outside, I was sweating profusely. To make it worse, there were no trees; therefore, there was no shade. Running in the heat of the day is the worst thing any runner can do. It is miserable. My head felt like it was going to explode because my face was so hot. We were not prepared to run in that weather and my coach realized that after two of our runners were critically injured. One of our runners had to be taken by ambulance to the emergency room due to dehydration. Another one of our runners was dehydrated, but instead of going to the emergency room he just vomited the whole way home. He was very sick and it was not a pleasant ride home for any of

On September 14th, Haverford High School hosted one of the most important races for the Upper Darby Cross Country team. In most races, the winning team is not rewarded with a prize. But this was a different race. The girls team were running, fighting for the possession of the sports bra. The tradition of the sports bra was established by the coaches of both teams, Upper Darby and Haverford, in late seventies inspired by the boys’ tradition with a bronze shoe. The trophy was an actual sports bra that had been plastered. Painted purple and red with gold in the middle, it hung from wooden posts attached to a wooden base. The colors represented the school colors of each team with gold as the hue we share. Despite its vulgar impressions, it is the

There we were, in Houston Texas, Dejah, Aniya, and I were warming up, practicing handoffs in tent city. We had made it to the Houston Texas AAU National Junior Olympics. It was No Limits Track Club’s second to last day on our eight day trip. It was the most competitive day of them all. It was time for the four by one hundred meter relay. With my relay team stretched,warmed up, and ready to go, we headed towards the stadium where we would race against the fastest girls in the nation. Intimidated but not deterred we headed out of Tent City and into the gates of Turner Stadium.

Still I first, I begin to slow down in pace. I shouldn't have used up most of my energy in the beginning. I'm only half way done with the the 1600 meter, and I'm going to need to preserve my energy. I decide that I will have to take a small break to "Recharge" my energy. Others are now getting very close now, so I decide my little break is over. I fell good enough to finish this race, as I rapidly pick up my pace. The finish line is so close, but so are the other runners. By now, I can hear all of the players booing at me. "I'm going to prove them wrong" I say as I run through the finish line. As the thin piece of paper tears, I'm overwhelmed. Even though I knew I would win, it was still a struggle. The struggle was kind of symbolic of my life. Lots of "Ups" and lots of "Downs". There were times when I had to just take a break, like what happens a lot when I'm getting bullied. At the same time, the was lots of love. Love for the sport, and love for my mom. Track pulled me out of the dark, old life I used to live,and I'm forever great full for it. Track would be now be my career. I can't explain how excited I am for all of these

Being an athlete takes raw talent, drive and time management in a busy life. Throughout my career as an athlete at Sutton Memorial high school I have participated in some of the most demanding sports including cross country indoor and outdoor track. Being on these teams for over six years I have had the honor of seeing legends rise and fall. Athletics are important but academics are still crucial to my future, and my secondary education. I have recently been accepted and admitted to Bryant university to enroll in their accounting/ CPA program to complete my interests in business and enable my future career as an accountant.

I smiled gently as my feet sunk into the warm sands of the Punta Cana coast. During a short snorkeling expedition on the magnificent coral reefs, I was abruptly awoken by a loud series of bangs. Who was outside the door this time of night? As the banging got louder, my anger quickly morphed into terror. My mind began racing with the infinite possibilities awaiting me outside the safety of my bedroom. But wait, what if my parents were in trouble? In an attempt to save them from a burglar or a fire, I sprinted to the front door. To my surprise, there was no such danger: only my parents, a mysterious woman, and two policemen. After a brief encounter, my father and the woman were escorted out with a few of his belongings that he threw into a makeshift

As I ran across the finish line for the last time I could not help but smile; all the memories and lessons learned from my years on cross country and track flashed before my eyes. Salem Cross Country and Track has impacted and shaped me into a leader, friend, daughter, and student.

Cross Country is an extremely mental sport, so I guess you can call me insane. Sure people always question me why I run, and sometimes, even I question myself. But the reason I run always comes to me during the race. Five-hundred people all crowded around each other, everyone anxious to hear the sound of the gun. As the gun fires, everyone takes off running. Not away from something, but all towards the same thing: the finish-line. Adrenaline kicks in, the bystanders all cheer, packs of runners start to form, and then the actual competition begins. As the people beside you try to show dominance and speed up, you need to stay mentally strong, and run with them. Three miles later, with the finish-line in sight, everyone starts sprinting. This is where you use every last bit of energy, giving it all you have.

When I was younger, my father gave me a lecture on having a desire. He told me that to be successful, you must have the desire to work for whatever you seek. Now that I am old enough and have been through some trials and tribulations to understand the concept of his philosophy, I believe in having a desire and having the will to work.

I ran in my middle school’s track team for two years. I ran the mile, one hundred meter dash and triple jump. Out of all the events I participated in I absolutely despised the mile, I hated the aftermath the most. The feeling of my lungs burning, legs aching from the long run and the heavy asthmatic breathes. Although the mile had several cons, I loved the challenge and I was too stubborn to quit. The first time i ran the mile was at an away meet against Sayville Middle School, I had been practicing and training for weeks  beating my own time repetitively raising the bar on my personal best time. Immediately upon arrival I was intimidated by the track, it looked like it went on for miles in comparison to the track at my school. The one hundred

I am sprawled out on the grassy area encapsulating my school's track, my second home, under the shade of a sizeable tree. My team has just finished a grueling workout consisting of mile repeats. My eyes are closed so that the sweat does not trickle into them. This is my favorite feeling in the world. This is what I think of to calm myself before races. The miles of pain followed by the overwhelming moments of relief give me a serenity I have not found in anything else so far in my life.

Reporters, flocking around me, all my eyes could see were the staggering number of camera flashes and the reporters repeatedly asking the same question, “Hicham, how did you manage to smash the last world record by nearly 20 seconds?”

I wish I could include a picture of me playing soccer with this essay because that was all I did from age five to fifteen. Soccer was life for ten years so most people are surprised to hear that the fall of my senior year in high school I will Captain of my high school Cross Country team. How I became Captain of a running sport is an accomplishment I never saw coming. If you had asked me in elementary school, middle school, or even my first two years of high school if I would do anything but play soccer I would have said never.

A sense of accomplishment is invaluable to a person. Not only does a sense of accomplishment build confidence and faith in oneself, but it also allows one to reflect on how wonderful the journey to the accomplishment was, and how every little struggle and triumph was worth it. In the middle of summer, where time seems endless and the stress of the previous school year has been shed by students, I never expected to find out that I scored a five on both of the advanced placement exams I took. Nor did I have one-hundred percent confidence the goals we set as section leaders of the marching band would actually be met. Yet to my surprise, I had the good fortune of accomplishing challenging things in both aspects of my life. Both accomplishments, especially my scores on the Advanced Placement exams, gave me a sense of self-confidence and faith in my ability to accomplish my goals that I had