During my freshman year of highschool I decided I wanted to stay in shape so I thought about playing a sport. I had already exasperated my efforts in softball and cheerleading and wanted to do something challenging so I joined the track team. I totally underestimated the amount of time and effort I would have to put forth and after weeks of pain and soreness I was 65% sure that I wanted to quit. However my best�friend who was also on the track team convinced me to stay so I hung with it. I was so happy with my first time trial when I ran a 6:44 mile but was unsure that I could carry out my coaches desire to have all four of his girls run under�6 min (Us 4 girls could have never predicted back then that 5 years later we would still be best friends brought together by our desire for running-which we constantly joked as being the worst sport ever!). I cant go through talking about my hs running days without mentioning�my coach which instilled the menatlity that we could accomplish anything together. I really believe he got me "interested" in running. He also pushed the fact that running was not only physical but mental. He really sealed the bond btwn us four girls which still remains today bc he believd in a few freshman who couldnt even break 6:30 in the mile!. Well, my first track meet ever I ran a 6:06 mile which blew away my expectations. It wasnt until sophmore year that we all broke 6 minutes. We worked so hard throughout highschool track and crosscountry that we all became best friends and were the core of the cc team. We figured out that we had spent more time with eachother through running than our own family! Even though we shared our frustration and felt eachothers pain when finishing a not so good� race or tanking on a speed workout, I knew that only they could understand how physically and mentally demanding the sport was. It was'nt until senior year cross country that we began to experience great success. We were one of those teams that previously had no place on the map and all of a sudden emerged from the radar as a threat to�other state teams.�Previously being�"under the radar" was somewhat beneficial bc when we did become "good"�every�accomplishment was a gift rather than an�expectation. We eventually breezed through districts and wanted so badly to make it to state. We figured, considering our best times, had a good chance of advancing.� Senior year was frustrating for me though because despite running the most milage during the summer was the only member of varsity that seemed not to drop dramatic time which still baffles me today considering I put everything into every workout (I could never break 21 minutes..ugh so frustrating!!)�Thats� just part of the�challege that comes with running. Your body is sensitive to even the slightest disruptions to sleep, nutrition, and stress and sometimes its hard to pinpoint. It finally came time for regions and mentally and physically we felt prepared despite the great pressure which others unknowingly placed on us.� Halfway through the race I was feeling drained, but had hopes because�the fastest runner on our team� (pr 20:06) was right in front of me (maybe I was doing well). Well it turned out that I ran around the same time (about 21:30)that I had run all year and the other 4 members of our team who had done exceptionally well in the last few meets had abundantly gained time which caused us to not even be close to a state qualify performance. There it ended. Our goal since the�beginning of highschool was gone. So were the charts, statistics, motivational talks, and pep cheers that were presented to us the day before that proved we had a chance at states. We were devastated and questioned our whole running career because as far as we knew, state was the only finish to our highschool years.

Highschool ended and summer quickly approached and us 4 girls had always joked that we would finally have our lives back after running and we were convinced that we would no longer run everyday on such a strict schedule. We did however run "one last" 5k which was a fundraiser for our school. I ended up beating my 3 friends with a time of 21:44 which is worse than my first�junior race but I was happy bc I hadnt done any extreme training since track had ended. The entire summer I ran a few days a week, nothing compared to the time I had put in during the last few summers.  I felt like there was no point in running since I wasnt on a "team". Summer wizzed by and college soon approached. That summer was nothing special and I would actually consider it�as depressing I dont know if it was college nerves or my lack of running spirit. I adjusted to college life with lethargy and a lack of enthusiasm. However one hopeful day I decided that I wanted to do the half marathon (something that hadnt popped into my mind for months). The idea shocked even myslef!!!! That day I decided that I had a new goal that I would run the half marathon in just�4 months !!!(december 6th 2008 to be exact). I was so excited that everyday I acutally wanted to wake up at 7:30 and go for a run. I had done the OUC half marathon in orlando for the past two years and found it quite rewarding. The first time I ran�the half�i really pushed my limits. Me and my best friend had pushed the past 10 mile and were doing sub 8 miles. Unfortunatey I got charley horses in both my legs and blacked out in the last mile and was forced to walk the last mile�(my best friend despite being a mile from the finish stayed with me the entire time!). I was sick the rest of the day and still felt accomplished. The next year however (2007)I had a strong finish (1 hour and 39 minutes) and was quite happy despite the fact that my friend beat� me by 5 minutes. But I had finished and thats what counted. Back to my story, I suddenly had a desire to run the half this year. But how could I train myself since the last half marathons had directly proceded cc season so I was already in shape. Well this has been my goal for the past 3 months. My friends were shocked at my sudden and intense desire to excell at running despite the fact that I wasnt on a team. I have to say though, I could almost say that it is more accomplishing becasue now I go out everyday and run for me wheresas sometimes in cc and track i felt like i was running bc i had too. I was noticing improvements in trail runs where I began struggling with a 6 mile run running at an 8:30 pace and� yesterday actually breezed through the same run in 7:17 pace (thats practically my 5k race pace for hs crosscountry!).My first 5k in college was a road race in oralndo and I wasnt expecting much since I hadnt done any intense training but surprisingly I ran a PR of 20:14! and i was so happy! i couldnt believe that I could train myself! I truly believe that my summer depression was due to my lack of running and I believe that my college success and happiness is partly due to running which I love so much. Recently I even did a 10k with one of the girls from my team in hs and I ran it in 42:05 and she ran it in 45 min (she was also excited). My pr last year for crosscountry was 21:01 and I had just run a 10k in double that!! I really believe that having a passion is key to finding success and meaning in your life. I look back at crosscounrty and despite the fact that we never made it to states, I would not take back one tear, one drop of sweat, or one killer workout for I know every second was worth it! The frustration in hs only taught me to never give up and to not let stress and pressure bring you down (some of the reasons why I think I never really "got faster" in hs). Now I feel like I am able to accomplish anything all on my own with my own workouts and own schedule. Even though there are no coaches or teamates at the finish line, I feel a wave of personal accomplishment as I cross the finish line of a road race or even just a workout. I even got�my mom interested in running (she said last year that as she stood at the finish line of the half marathon watching the runners cross the line she could feel the energy- anyone who has ever been at a road race knows!). I go running with her and I hope she can get the same out of running as I have. We are running our first 5k together in 2weeks (thanksgiving turkey trot in orlando) and we are both excited. Her goal is to�break 40 min and my goal is to beat 20 min! something i was never able to come close to in hs but now I feel like I can do it!!! Then only a few weeks after that Im going to run the ouc half marathon and am superexcited and i expect to blow last years time out of the water (hopefully sub-7:30 pace!). I would have never guessed all throughout hs that I could continure my running "purpose" after my track and cc days! All�I have to say is thank god for running!!

Update: Well i ran the ouc in 1 hour and 30 min. and I am so excited thats 6:54 pace! i really surprised myself and recently i ran a 5k in 19:11 also a pleasent surprise!!!