Sreyas Week 3: One Foot After The Other
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
That was the sound of my heart beating every single time I lined up on the brick red track. “On your marks, set.” No sound for one second. Now two seconds.
BANG.
We were on our way. The clacking of spikes against the crushed asphalt of the track slowly drowned out cheers from fellow runners and parents, and we were left to ourselves, fighting lactic acid for 1600 meters on an oval, trying to get past one another.
During my freshman year, my dad forced me to join the cross-country team. I wasn’t the very best at running, and I hated running more than anything, so you best believe I had lots of fun (I didn't). But my dad had been running marathons for about two years by then, so it seemed as if he wanted to start a new family tradition with me.
Despite being on the cross-country team for one season, I still didn’t like running. I mean yes, I went to practice, but it was more for the people at practice, not for the running itself.
But then, it was track season. I assumed it wouldn’t be much different from cross-country, but it was a whole new experience. Rather than running on hills or weird rocky, gravelly terrain, we were finally on a sleek, uniform surface designed for speed. Everyone around me was getting faster and faster, and there was only one thing I could do too: get faster.
Staying on par with others who had way more experience than me drove me to run more, and eventually, it's what made me like running.
Somewhere along the way, running became an essential part of my school day. Right after the final bell rang at 3:14, I would go change for practice and start warming up. At this point I think I take running after school more seriously than eating breakfast. I don’t really think twice when I just slip my shoes on and go for a run. There was a point where me tying my shoes would be preceded by one hour of arguing with my dad to not run. Nowadays it's more like my dad trying to convince me not to run too much.
I may never enjoy the pain, and I still question why I voluntarily put myself through it, but I can’t imagine my everyday life without it anymore.
Hi Sreyas! I love how you were able to grow to somewhat enjoy running even though you didn’t like it at first. I honestly admire cross country and track athletes because I know for a fact I would not be able to do it. I’ve been bad at running since middle school, or maybe even elementary school. My mile times are so bad that I probably wouldn’t have done well in P.E. if I had taken it. It’s amazing how you persevered and strived to improve even when you weren’t completely passionate about running, and I think this is such a great mindset. A similar thing happened to me for my extracurriculars. Although I wasn’t very passionate about it initially, I eventually grew to like it the more I did it. I enjoyed it at first because I liked doing it with my friends, but now, I would say I do just enjoy it, even if we have to stand outside in the sun for five hours straight. Also, I like how you used onomatopoeia in the beginning to describe your races. I thought it was a nice touch, and it made your blog more interesting. Good luck on your future races!
ReplyDeleteI completely understand where you’re coming from, Sreyas! I always question why I even bother playing water polo, especially after losing games, but the love for the sport always keeps me going. The truth is, I could not imagine what my life would be like without playing this one sport. I met some of my closest friends through it, and I’ve developed such a close bond with my team that they now feel like family. This sport, like any other, is hard work. There are days where I feel like not showing up or quitting, but it’s my love for my team that keeps me going. Whenever we face hardships, we face them together, which makes the weight I have to carry feel much lighter. I know this may not necessarily be the case for track, but I still know that you can rely on your teammates when things get hard.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s very cool how your dad runs marathons. This is no easy feat, so the fact that he has participated in so many is very impressive. It’s also very sweet that your dad urged you to start running track so that you can build a family tradition together. This reminds me of the time when my dad put me in swimming lessons when I was just four years old. Although I hated it at the time, I slowly fell in love with swimming and it would later become my foundation for water polo. As I look back now, I realize that the only reason I am able to excel in water polo now is because of how good of a swimmer I am, and for this, I must thank my dad. My dad is also a very athletic person—playing cricket, going hiking, and bicycling almost every week. He always urges me to come with him, especially when he goes hiking, but I always respond saying, “No thanks, I would rather stick to water polo.”
Hi Sreyas! I can definitely relate to the constant question of “why am I choosing to torture myself” in playing a sport. I think about how I can just quit volleyball and my life would probably become easier, but would it become better? Like basically every other sport, volleyball mentally challenging and it can become exhausting. Sometimes there are days, even weeks, where I don’t perform up to my standards or just don’t feel in it. During these times, the words “I hate volleyball” often fly out my mouth, and at times I truly start to believe it. I often wonder about why I still continue to love this sport when it has caused me to fall into my lowest of lows. But, if you really love it, you will continue to keep pushing no matter the obstacle. Like you, it has become something I can’t imagine my life without. The friends I made solely by playing volleyball will forever be something I cherish. The mistakes I have made, that turned into life lessons, have shaped me into the person I am today. It’s great that you have found your love for track, and I admire the hard work you commit to getting better. I hope you have a great season this year!
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