Personal Narrative: Journey To A Cross Country

“Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust” - Jesse Owens. This quote was proudly displayed on the back of the team shirts for my senior year. The design was chosen unanimously by the upperclassmen due to the fact that the quote tied together all of the meaningful experiences that we’d shared with as friends and classmates throughout our years as cross country runners. The gift of running has given me so much in life in regards to comradery and friendship. The experiences gained through running Cathedral cross country, have shaped my character and taught me the value of hard work and perseverance, leaving an enduring mark on who I am.
As an athlete, I managed to achieve a great deal in cross country. I’ve varsity lettered for four years and ran in the state meet my senior year of cross country. For my 10th through 12th grade years, I joined my team on the annual Mountain Run. This trip was invitational, where a small group of the top tier runners had the opportunity to complete high altitude training in the Black Hills and Big Horn Mountains. The thin air, combined with grueling climbs over mountain
As captain, I was given the opportunity to act as a leader, mentor and friend to my teammates. I spent the season helping everyone to run their hardest on meet days and to enjoy themselves with fun activities like our annual Triathalon, and Weekend Getaway trip. For the vast majority of runners on our team, cross country’s appeal wasn’t always the running, but the respect and unity that our team offered to those who were a part of it. Some of my proudest memories come from the fact that I was able to help create such a fantastic experience that many of those kids would treasure forever, even if the running wasn’t necessarily there passion. My years of running and growing as a leader, gave me the tools I needed to be a positive role model to