My First Run

At the ripe old age of 12, like many other 6th graders, I had to run a timed mile in gym glass. As a soccer, basketball, and softball player I certainly had the stamina to run around a field or court, but had never raced the clock before. A glorious vision of being the fastest girl in my grade consumed my mind, and so I borrowed my mom's walk-man and my brother's mixed tape (everyone else ran with music so I assumed this was the correct course of action), and embarked on my very first practice mile. The smell of the air, the music, the sweat, the freedom of a few moments alone...I was hooked.

For a month I practiced running a mile everyday after school and got down to a time somewhere in the 8 minute range (which I would kill for today!). I thought for sure I could and would win. With a good night's sleep and healthy breakfast to start the day, it was time. As I lined up with the other girls in my class, I was ready! I had spent a month gearing up for this moment: 

The whistle blew and I started the course, which was four laps around a big field. The first lap I was neck and neck with the other great athletes, smiling wide as I felt all my preparation paying off. But as laps two and three came the others forged ahead, and with the last lap the early summer heat beat me and I could not pull off the victory I dreamed about. You can imagine my feelings as I saw the other girls pass the finish line before me. Pure devastation.

In hindsight, of course the race didn't matter. Winning would have been great, but my mom assured me that night that her love was not contingent upon my speed. What mattered was that I had set a goal and worked hard to achieve it. What mattered was that I got into the habit of exercising at a young age. What mattered was that I ran my best race and didn't quit. All of these are values that still remain with me today, but oh, how great it would have been to have that victory under my belt!

Later that year, I did go on to beat the school record for most sit-ups by a 6th grader in 90 seconds (96), but this blog is about running:)