Pushing to the Limit
Track has been a big part of my life since sixth grade. Last year, in eighth grade my goal was to beat the Licking Valley Middle School 800m record. Every meet my time would drop, and that just meant I was one step closer to breaking that record. I spent much of my time focusing on the 800m run, and I knew if I caught up to a couple of girls from Granville, my time would significantly drop. When the LCL meet rolled around, I knew it was my last shot at breaking the 800m record. When the gun went off, I was instantly filled with energy, and right before the finish I was so close to passing those girls from Granville. Although I didn’t pass them, overall I finished third and had a time of 2:39. It turns out I was less than two seconds off the record, but that record pushed me to more than I thought I could ever do.
Track isn’t just about winning, but about testing your limits. The thing about track is it pushes you to your mental and physical limits. When the season progresses, you’re able to look back and realize how much you’ve accomplished. By the end of the season you’re much stronger than you thought you could ever be because you’re able to build up your physical and mental toughness.
Track may seem like it’s an individual sport, but that’s so far from the truth. At the Central Districts Indoor Track Meet this year, the majority of our track teammates were cheering each other on. Many times you would see our teammates in a corner on the track calling out to our other teammates in order to help push them a little bit further. If we run in the same event as someone else on our team, we don’t go through the experience alone. Instead, we help push each other to the finish line. Every meet we run there is always somebody there to cheer us on, and we push through the pain together whether it be at practice or a meet. No matter what we always work together as a team.
Many people don’t see the hard work that it takes to get to the places you reach. Many people don’t realize how crazy we train in track, and the work it takes to get to where we are. We don’t just get to where we are overnight, it takes hard work, time, and patience. When we finally race, that’s when all that hard work falls into place and pays off.
The exciting part is when you cross the finish line knowing that you gave it all you had. After the race I always feel relieved. I feel relieved knowing that I accomplished something better than I ever thought possible, and knowing that I finally reached my full potential as a runner.
