Every long stride strained my burning muscles. I gasped for breath but received no air. Sweat seeped into my eyes, stinging them with salt. But, I felt no pain; actually, I could not feel anything. I could hear voices, but I could not articulate any words. I ignored the pull of gravity and the screaming of my body and lunged forward. All the while the only thought I could produce was, “Why am I doing this?”
I started cross-country freshman year. In middle school, I had played on the school football team. But being 5 foot 5 inches tall and ninety pounds, did not really equate to football. So, I joined the cross-country team as a way to condition for soccer. My naïve freshman-self had no clue of the endeavor I had just set out upon. Now here
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Who would force himself through pain during training just so he could experience even more pain while racing? Runners are a peculiar group. We bond through the appreciation and respect of pain, acknowledging one another with a slight nod or wave when our paths cross. My football friends will insist that their sport is much more difficult, and that running nonstop for over three miles is kid 's stuff compared to bumping foreheads with guys in pads. I casually retort that every few seconds there is a hiatus in their game. The luxury of breaks is foreign to a …show more content…
We smile when other athletes complain about running laps as punishment while we run twice that in warm-ups. It fascinates me that something so simple remains a constant and vital part of any athletic endeavor. Before there were balls to kick or throw, there were feet alone. Simplicity and freedom are the foundations of runners and their sport. There are no procedures, equipment, or even a team. Yes, you can have a coach, buy the lightest shoes, and run with a team of runners. You can don the same uniform, try to predict what mile splits you wish to accomplish, and imagine whom you will pace behind. But once the starting gun fires, you are alone. You either fail or succeed because your own preparation, accord, and willpower. The beauty of running stems from choice – the choice to continue. Freedom is the gift of running. Injuries, obstacles, pain – they are just detours. Speed, distance, and form are all relative. I am not weighed down by a set of rules. After four years, I no longer have to question my love for the sport. I have found my