@marbella.emile
When I first began running it was something that I was using to stay in shape. I had no interest in making it my full-time sport nor joining a team. It was simply a way to burn some calories or clear my head from a long day. Little did I know that this little hobby of mine would turn into something that I love. Something that I’m passionate about.
Passion can be defined as a feeling of intense enthusiasm or a compelling desire for someone or something. This is what running became for me. It became one of my passions. In early June of 2020, I decided to join the Point Pleasant Borough High School Cross Country team. I was new to the school and had no connections on the team. I truly had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never run competitively, and to me, running was still just a hobby. However, after that first summer training session, I was hooked. As we practiced more and more, I began to fall in love with the beauty of the sport. Every step, every hill, every path getting you closer and closer to that glorious finish line. In my very first race, I came in third out of the 40 girls in the race. That feeling of adrenaline and sheer pride in my new sport is something I will never forget. I spent two hours every day, six days a week, for four months learning about my new sport and shaping my body and mind into a runner. Running taught me so much. I formed a close bond with the girls I ran with, a bond that I’ll never forget.
Because of that bond, we were able to push off each other and lean on each other through every hard race and every tough workout. Running not only gave me these amazing teammates, but it taught me that you can overcome and push through the doubts your mind throws at you. It sounds funny but running has made me stronger for life. In every race, every time I wanted to give up I had my teammates pushing me, my coach encouraging me, and my competitive spirit driving me to keep going. In life, there’s going to be that daunting hill, that hard course, and that crazy good team, but keep going. My encouragement to whoever is reading this is to chase after what you are passionate about. You may not see it at first, like me with running, but be willing to take that extra step. Because that extra step may change your life. So run...and don’t let your mind tell you that you can’t, or that you’re not strong enough, or that you have no reason to run because once you cross that finish line, trust me, it’s all worth it.
Emmy Cotton :)
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