The ear splitting sound of my alarm clock breaks the silence that overpowers my room, and as I struggle to open my eyes, an immediate thought dawns: "What am I doing?"
It is 5:30 AM, all is dark and still. My body feels completely drained of energy and I am overcome with a feeling of lethargy. Phrases of “Perhaps I should call in sick” roam my mind, but despite all my musing, I manage to rise each morning at this ungodly hour to join the nationally ranked cross country team in rigorous training.
Cross country. a sport that requires the fusing of body and mind, strives to maximize one’s physical ability by testing one’s mental tenacity. Every day represents a new struggle to beat yesterday’s maximum output; an issue of mind over matter. Through pains and strains, and adverse weather and unfavorable conditions, I run because I made up my mind four years ago to succeed.
When I first joined the team the summer prior to my freshman year, I had no previous experience with running, unlike the majority of the team. Such an adversity only made my experience more challenging. In addition, constant injuries seemed to have an affinity towards me, to the point where I was forced to stop running
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A few weeks later, similar injuries impacted my body, so I immediately decided to go to physical therapy in order to get me back on my feet - literally. All in all, I was fascinated with the work physical therapists did: From treating injuries, to rehabilitation, and to providing individuals with the confidence to continue with their passions. As a result of this experience, I proceeded to taking a class within my school, known as Regional Occupational Program, that dealt with healthcare professions. Little did I know that I would discover a philanthropic side to me that would lead me to want to pursue a career in the healthcare