top of page

February 2013 - Fort Worth, Texas

​

During high school, I took up running as a stress reliever and healthy way to stay in shape. My typical route was usually three miles, but on one particularly stressful day, I ran six. Earlier in my junior year, I had a math teacher that ran marathons. My love of running and his inspiration led to my decision to run a half-marathon.

 

Growing up, I was never in sports. I had no idea where to begin to train, all I knew was that I loved to run. That summer, I woke up every morning at six and ran on my high school's track. I kept up with this routine and the miles started to add up. Then in September, I had to have an emergency appendectomy and was not allowed to run for at least four weeks. In December, I had my wisdom teeth removed and was not allowed to run for two weeks. These two surgeries devastated me. Not only could I not run, but the implication was that I would have to start over whenever I started running again. Nonetheless, I pushed through.

 

In February, I ran the race with my math teacher and one of my good friends. Completing the half-marathon was an amazing experience. The race itself was one of the most positive and uplifting environments I have ever been in, and running 13.1 miles feels incredible at the finish. However, the completion was more than just crossing the finish line. Finishing the race meant that I had stuck with my training, even through adversity. It was something I had done, by myself, without a coach, or parent, or trainer telling me to get up every morning or remember to register. I had managed my schedule and training, and used problem solving when I needed to push through challenges. It truly showed me that hard work pays off, and working diligently towards a goal can have a wonderful benefit.

Cowtown Half Marathon 2013

bottom of page