Personal Narrative: My Gun

I have surpassed my personal records race after race and my walls are covered in race bibs and medals. I wonder how I will ever leave my team, who has become more like a family to me. I will never forget the team sleepovers where we talked for countless hours, or the excitement we felt when we actually found a movie that revolved around our sport. We have seen each other at our very worst and very best and still continue to be there, screaming our heads off at the finish line for each other. After all the long runs, intervals, sprints, injuries, exhaustion, and personal records, I’m finally starting to find the answer to why i joined cross country.

At the end of practice, I would always go home with a bright red face and sweat pouring down my body, creating a wet ring on my shirt collar. However, we all wanted to make ourselves satisfied as well as our coach to make the most out of our practices and so we wouldn’t get more difficult workouts the next time because of lack of participation. The first time that I won a race in a track meet made me feel like I accomplished something. I really liked that feeling of being successful on my own despite the criticism I had received about being successful. I felt like I could conquer anything and would never listen to what others would tell me.

I decided that I was going to run cross country in the fall, something I never even considered before. The first week of practise, I anticipated dreading going on the long runs and suffering through difficult workouts. Instead, what found was the most supportive group of people in my school and even more surprising I discovered my love of running. Now in my senior year of high school, I have become a dedicated runner who finds enjoyment in the pain of pushing yourself to the limit. Cross Country has taught me many lessons such as the importance of commitment and determination, however the lesson that stands out is the importance of being open to new opportunities and overcoming obstacles.

I cannot help but cry because I am so proud of this team. We have worked all year for this moment, and we are ready to give it all we have. The time has come to start the championship race. I have my hand on my watch ready to track all of my mile splits. The starter points the gun toward the sky, "Runners take your mark."

For me, cross country isn’t just a sport to add to your extra curricular activities, nor is it an “easy” sport to join just because you want to be considered an athlete. Cross country is way more than that. It is a lifestyle. It is waking up every morning at 5 a.m., running countless miles until you can’t feel your legs anymore, having no days off, and having to sacrifice plans with your best friends because you have practices and races every weekend. I saw dedication every time I saw my sister grit her face with determination as she forced herself through the finish line.

I run around the track and continue to sprint across the field back to the crowd of parents, friends, and girls soccer players who were forced to attend this last cross country meet of the season. As I continue to approach the group, my mind and body turn numb, Everyone is cheering for me, and I realize that I’ll never experience this again. I’m practically floating through the course, still no other runners are near me. That was the way it would stay, all the way through the 3.1 miles as I crossed the finish line in first place, capturing my team’s second league championship and undefeated season. After I had caught my breath, I began to realize that my career was drawing to a close.

At the end of the day I got packed up and got ready to go home because as soon as I got home I would be leaving for soccer practice. Later that day at soccer practice my coach had a private talk with me he said that whatever got into me at the last game I should keep up for the championship. Also that I was elected captain by my fellow teammates! I run through the green grass in my socks and thank all of my teammates. Then I look for Lisa.

Jess, Leslie, and most of the minor characters search for love and fulfillment, and the narrative kicks up a potent sensation of loneliness and yearning, leading up to Leslie 's tragic death. However, the generosity and courage this tragedy inspires in Jess and in the parents of both children bring the characters to a new understanding and acceptance of each other. CHAPTER-1 Bridge to Terabithia starts with jess’s morning practice run. He runs excitedly for the race coming up in his school, having a wish to become recognized in between his classmate by coming first in the race organized among three tiers. The other reason Jesse is so determined to be the fastest race driver in his class is that he likes to get his father observed.

Cross country. a sport that requires the fusing of body and mind, strives to maximize one’s physical ability by testing one’s mental tenacity. Every day represents a new struggle to beat yesterday’s maximum output; an issue of mind over matter. Through pains and strains, and adverse weather and unfavorable conditions, I run because I made up my mind four years ago to succeed. When I first joined the team the summer prior to my freshman year, I had no previous experience with running, unlike the majority of the team.

So he ran by himself and I ran at practice, but on the weekends we would still do our long runs. I often dreaded our longer runs, so my mom always gave me something to look forward to such as; going out to eat or making cookies later that day. The half marathon was coming up soon, and we were as ready as ever. The day before the half marathon I had a cross country meet, and it was tiger bowl. I really wanted to go to the football game, but I had to go to bed really early and wake up early for the run.

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. Knowing this was my last race I would run with my close friends and relay team, being it 's the last race of the season and we all weren’t going to be in the same age group next year, I had a whole new mind set. I was constantly thinking, “we have to make top ten because we can make top ten.” “We have the times, we have the strength, we have the speed, we just need to have the guts to walk in there like we are going to shred the track into pieces.