Nyssa+T’s+Final+AmEx+2015+Speech

Running Is a Sport

It all began the day I saw my best friend, Rachel, wearing a huge chunk of shiny gold medal around her neck, held by a yellow ribbon. The middle part of the medal spun around, which was very fascinating for my 7th grade self. I asked her how she won it and she explained to me that, “she does cross country and that if you finish in the top 5 in Ventura County you get a medal.” Which was kind of self explanatory, considering there was runners on the front of the medal and on the back it said “ Ventura County Middle School Cross Country Champions,” but all that was a blur because of the speed I was making the medal rotate in. Compelled by the beauty of this medal, I was determined to get one of my own.

The following year I joined the cross country team with one goal in mind: to get a medal and I did just that. While enrolling for freshman year, the thought of another year of P.E. was terrifying, which lead me to doing Cross country for Buena, plus Rachel was joining the team, so I figured why not.

Summer training had rolled by and throughout it I was unmotivated to run. I hardly went to any of the trainings, and didn’t care for the sport as much as I should’ve. The season soon began and I had surprisingly made it on the Varsity team. However, I didn't understand why because I hardly put any effort into running. But I didn’t question it, however, I did complain about it A LOT. Like come on, who runs 10 miles for fun? I grew to hate everything about running. The sweat, the blisters on my feet, the throbbing calves and definitely the amount of miles. As much as I hated the sport I continued on with it because of my much desired goal: medals. I continued with running, winning a medal in every race, but I still hated it, I still skipped practices but when I did go I never gave it my all. Running soon became my worst enemy.

Running isn’t really like how I and most other people perceive it to be. Running isn’t “just moving your legs” and not “everyone can do it.” Running takes mental focus and positive thoughts, it requires techniques and certain ways of training, just like any other sport, and let me tell you something, it isn’t easy. For most people, you can't expect to be fast by simply moving your legs back and forth, you have to have the perfect arm motion, the perfect breathing technique, the perfect foot strike, the perfect hand positioning and the perfect form. However, the thing you have to think about most is the way you have to run depending on the surface and the course.

On hills, you have to open your strides, run on your tippy-toes and pump your arms at a faster pace, causing your mind to trick your legs into move faster, plus keeping in mind that with every uphill there is a down hill. Most people are scared to run fast on a downhill and slow down, but I chose the opposite and let the downhill carry me. I used them to my advantage to pick up speed. When you feel like you're about to throw up, about to pass out and it seems impossible to take another step further, that’s when you need to pick it up. You find a focal point, tell yourself your last dominate thought, and just go for it. Although running brings the sensation of burning in your chest, aching in your calves and the feeling that your shins are about to shatter, I’ve come to love it, including the pain and everything that comes with it.

“[Running is] about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when there’s not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. Running is all about having the desire to train and persevere until every fiber in your legs, mind, and heart is turned to steel. And when you’ve finally forged hard enough, you will have become the best runner you can be. And that’s all that you can ask for. -Paul Maurer

I want to grow old in an America where everyone runs, just kidding, thats so unrealistic. But I want to grow old in an America where people see running as a sport. Not just running, but where people see every sport as a sport. Every sport requires mental strength, endurance, and concentration. Sure, everyone can run. But can everyone run a cross country race and push through the pain? Running is a sport, and if you still don’t believe me after this speech, go run a 3- mile race for yourself, go run a 5:30 mile or go run countless laps around a track.