This is my first attempt at a
personal statement. Unfortunately, it was not clear enough for my intended
major so I had to create Flicker.
Test of Endurance
“We are going to do six of these,” says my cross-country coach, Jessie Gomez.
“Six what?” I inquire.
“800 meter repeats at 75 second pace.”
My coach had to be in a good mood that day to say this, because normally, we do more than that at a faster pace. It is only a matter of running 400 meters in 1 minute and 15 seconds, 16 times around the track. It must be very simple.
All right, so maybe it is not that easy. After a workout, or during one, I experience plenty of side effects, including fatigue, dehydration, and seeing visions of death. Thus, the coach always says that I do not have to do it if I do not want to. As alluring as that sounds, I understand what he means: if I cannot do the work, I might as well be off the team.
During cross-season, I love to race because it is very exciting. No two racecourses are the same. Many teams make an appearance in these races, so there is intense competition, as well as a large crowd.
Okay, I have to admit that I am not a top runner of the team (more like the top of the bottom), but I do not really run to win medals, acknowledging that it is impossible. I run because I want to run. It sure beats hanging out on the streets or sitting at home watching TV (which I lack). Running gives me something fun to do with my life, and at the same time, burns off extra calories. It takes a lot of dedication to be a good runner. I have to train continuously, for if I take a break, I lose some of my performance.
In my spare time, I play the Magic: the Gathering trading card game that requires a lot of strategy and skill to play. I usually hang around other Magic players, so we have this unique gaming subculture in the school. I also like working on my website (www.oocities.org/influence82) because it gives me a chance to express myself to my friends, and it is more convenient than sending an email to those people. I also use it to help people get cards they want.
The sport is just like creating a website in the sense of endurance. If I do not update a website on a regular basis, it will become boring and people will cease to visit it. Likewise, if I do not keep running, I will lose my speed. I cannot learn anything from staying dormant, but if I keep working on the website, then I can acquire more skills and become a better technician. As with any vocation, there is always room for improvement.
A race that covers 4 miles is pretty staggering. It does hurt, especially when it comes to mountain climbing. I feel exhilaration when I pass people towards the end of the race, and when I finally finish, I feel elated. Not everybody can just run and finish a four-mile race in one piece. After each race, I know I accomplished something that would not be possible had I not trained before. That is point of training.
Now all I have worry about is coming to practice next Tuesday at 6am, but at least I am guaranteed a parking space.