Hello Eveyone! This week I thought I’d mix it up a little and talk about how I started running and how I have progressed as a runner since then.
It all started in fifth grade, at Cross Lutheran School in Yorkville. My mom asked me one day if I wanted to join the cross country team because, being a long time runner herself, she wanted to coach. I said sure, why not! Being only 10 or 11 at the time I didn’t even know what cross country was or what I had just committed myself to. Unlike some who say they have loved running since the beginning, I hated it. I wasn’t exceptionally great at it and it wasn’t fun. I told my parents I wanted to quit after the first year, but they called me a quitter and I felt guilty, so I decided to give it another go. I signed up for the Yorkville Endurance Camp that summer. It was then I finally realized why people love our sport. Something about Yorkville cross country just pulls you in, and for the remainder of my middle school years I was completely in love with the sport, and especially Endurance camp.
My downfall came in racing. I was way too serious about my races and made myself too nervous so I never raced well. You really have to find that perfect medium between being serious about your race and having fun with it. I find my best races are the ones where I can’t help but smile while running by the familiar faces cheering in the crowds, because I’m really having fun while I’m racing. I didn’t learn this till I became a fox my freshman year, and I’m still working at perfecting it. My very first high school race was Detweiller at Dark before freshman year and it was one of my best. After the start when we went up the hill for the first time, I waved to all my friends and family that I saw, but apparently that was a too much fun. The next race I was all seriousness and I raced horribly. It was then that we, Coach Muth and I, decided we needed a new system. To prevent myself from getting too nervous we would have small secret gestures that weren’t as obvious as a wave but served the same purpose: to prevent me from getting too serious about the race. We don’t do this all the time anymore, but I think I’m gonna start it up again. If you happen to see me make a random face or hand motion while running this year, I guess you’ll know why!
On a different note, I’ve decided to add a new section to my blogs every week. Despite Coach Draper’s opposition of the name, and with collaboration from some of my teammates, I would like to introduce to you, “Draper’s Question of the Week!” Just because Coach Draper asks some very intriguing questions, and I think the world should hear them! This week’s question:
“Would you rather lick a big live spider or get hit by a car?”
Feel free to answer although I won’t be offended if you don’t Unless you’re Kelsey Leedy or Kaelyn Scull, then you must respond below! That’s all for now, have a good week, and GO FOXES!!!
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