Personal Narrative: The 2013 Penn Relays Carnival

I ran back up the hill to our camp, trying to move quickly without wasting too much energy, took my inhaler, and rushed back down the hill. Soon, it was time for the race to start. The officials gave an overview of information about the race and how it would start. The official behind us blew a long whistle. We stood, motionless, just waiting for that starting gunshot. Pow! The race was off. I sprinted out of the pack. I tried to find a good pace and settle in. We ran up a few hills, and then we made it to the first entrance to the creek. Unintelligently, I didn’t slow down very much going into the creek. Because I didn’t slow down, I splashed into the creek with a belly flop, almost submerging my whole body underwater. I got up quickly, then began to climb up the mud wall. I clawed at that wall like it was my enemy. I avoided the rope, even though it actually wasn’t that busy at the moment. I was too focused to switch strategies. We continued to run on, passing many fans, their cheers a chaotic blur. We passed through the second part of the creek, which was not nearly as deep. It was only about mid-shin to knee level, so I made my way through just fine. We ran all over the vineyard. I wasn’t feeling too awful. I was just caught up in the thrill of the race! We made it to the cornfields, and there were lots of small hills. I ran through them staring at the ground, and I kept seeing the same pair of shoes. For some strange reason, I kept staring at those shoes. People do crazy things when they run, you could say! Anyways, I passed the person wearing those shoes. We ran away from the corn fields and under a bridge. I was coming closer and closer to the finish. I was struggling to continue, but I would not quit! I pushed through the pain, but by the end of the race, I was just done. I saw the final hill in front of me. It was one of the biggest hills on the course, if not the biggest, and it was definitely the most difficult after

“Whoa, whoa! Where is this taking us, where, where?” I said as my heart was beating as fast as a runner who finished the Boston Marathon. I was hiking with my family a second ago, and now I am through a wavy transparent wall that made me feel like I was heading through Platform 9 ¾ in Harry Potter. I suddenly was flying through a golden sky that glistened like the sun hitting the ocean. Gracefully I did flips and cartwheels in the air while gold ribbon followed me like ducklings following their mother. Milliseconds later I landed in a grassy field. Cows were harvesting crops and cooking dinner. Straw hats aligned their faces, with brown corduroy overalls splattered in dirt. They smelled like a fertilizer company on a hot summer afternoon.

When I glance towards him, I give him a reassuring nod and start to pick it up. My heart started pounding faster than It has ever pounded before. I could hear the crowd cheering and saying, “You can do it”, “Keep going”, or my favorite, “Go faster”. Zoey started to pull away from me second by second and I knew that If I just kept going faster I would win. Once I reached 200m to go I started sprinting for my life. Now everyone was cheering and yelling at me (in a good way) for me to finish. As I started to stare at the finish line my eyes started to water until, finally I passed the finish line. My heart was racing, my legs and arms were burning, and I felt like I was about to faint. I was so happy and a little light headed, but mostly happy. When everyone finished I congratulated and hugged my three friends, Zoey, Bella, and Sydney, who finished right after me.

There were several other people shouting as a I approached the finish line. I could no longer feel my legs as I sprinted through the shoot at the finish. When I got out of the shoot I wanted to fall to the ground but I stayed up and walked to the camp where I was greeted by all of my fellow runners.

Running stayed on my mind all throughout the day, it was what I loved to do. At the Yukon state track meet my heart was racing more than ever. I’ve trained all season for this meet hoping to place top 6 in the state. It was blazing hot outside with the wind pushing a little hard against us. Me and my team was up next to run the 4x400m against many other schools that were competing that day. As we lined up in order from first leg to anchor, listening to the referee position us on where to stand, we were all scared. The referee shot the gun and the first leg runners took off. When it was my turn to go, I nervously stepped onto the red 8 lane track.

Before I knew it the Starter pointed his gun high and fired. Across the starting line from both sides I felt runners storming off, as did I. I wanted to take a smart approach as I planned I would. The first mile quickly came up and I was advancing my place further to put myself into a positive position to finish. A mile and a half into the race overall I felt relaxed  and was still moving up passing runners. Next the second mile came up and I was starting to struggle as were some runners close by. Additionally hills were to come in the next mile and a half and I wasn’t looking forward to it, but I knew If I stopped then slowed down, I wouldn’t satisfy myself. Eventually I made it through the hills along with other struggling runners. The last part of the race came and as soon as I made it to where I had about 400m left, overall I gave it all I had in the moment so that I finished in excellent standing with myself. As I gave it all I could I passed a few runners in the process and as a few passed by as well. Finally, after several minutes of trying to catch my breath I finally

Barley in I could hear the pummel of feet, the clicking of spikes striking rocks, heavy breathing, and the crowd encouraging me. I was working ardous to think clearly and not let the sweat dripping off me and heat disturb me. I couldn't smell anything because i was breathing heavily. After the race a man gave me water and i was to drained to raise it. But i did and it chilled my throat with satisfaction. I sprinted to inspirit my teammates when their heat begin and it felt excruciating to hoist my legs. I knew Jonah and Noah would be rounding the corner soon and heading to there shoot. I strained my throat to shout as Jonah come in second place. Soon after Noah did not show after that. I started to panic because I know he should have finished by now. As each person passed I felt my heart squeeze tight and become rigid. hearing my teammates beside me questioning each other and stating things that may have occurred. I swung around and darted toward the other direction of Finish. After talking to a friend and a couple acquaintances. I heard someone had collapsed from heat exhaustion. I started to lose it and could feel my eyes filling with water. When I saw my teammates jogging to a

Barley in I could hear the pummel of feet, the clicking of spikes striking rocks, heavy breathing, and the crowd encouraging me. I was working arduously to think clearly and not let the sweat dripping off me and heat disturb me. I couldn't smell anything because I was breathing heavily. After the race a man gave me water and i was to drained to raise it. But I did and it chilled my throat with satisfaction. I sprinted to inspirit my teammates when their heat begun and it felt excruciating to hoist my legs. I knew Jonah and Noah would be rounding the corner soon and heading to their shoot. I strained my throat to shout as Jonah came in second place. Soon after Noah did not show up. I started to panic because I knew he should have finished by now. As each person passed by I felt my heart squeeze tight and become rigid. hearing my teammates beside me questioning each other and stating things that may have occurred. I swung around and darted toward the other direction of Finish. After talking to a friend and a couple acquaintances. I heard someone had collapsed from heat exhaustion. I started to lose it and could feel my eyes filling with water. When I saw my teammates jogging to a

When we get to Freeman I get shown the course because I was gone for two weeks and didn’t get to race here yet. Then, I wait a while and run around saying “hi” to everyone before my race starts. After that, he calls people to the starting line and says “go!” I run very hard in the start but then start dying out but manage to keep up and then I get in 9th place or something close to that. Finally, I sit down and I am exhausted I ran so hard.

I have trained myself to prepare for this exact moment in time. Every mile that I have continuously pushed myself through, every steep incline as my thighs and calves have trembled that I have climbed, every sharp twist of pain that curved up my entire being that I have conquered, they have all made me into the person I am as I stand behind our first line of top runners. A nervous adrenaline is spiking my pulse as we wait in formation—staggered with a person to fill every space—and the raucous cheering from almost every single person lining the Southside course is causing a puddle of anticipated excitement to drip down my spine. I have come so far from

Every race kept increasing with distance, and I wasn’t sure if I could continue. Yet I began to attend practice everyday, running three miles and coming in last. Everyone said they didn’t mind waiting, but I just didn’t feel confident running the 26.2 miles. It didn’t hit me that I was going to run until we attended the convention at the dodgers’

Unable to catch my breath, my coach had stars in her eyes, and everyone on the team celebrated for me. Looking at the scoreboard, I realized that my time put me in first place. Meanwhile, my heart beat faster than before the race. Coach told me that I almost beat the record set in 1992! The official (who had been my coach in middle school) also congratulated me! Scurrying over to my number one fans in the crowd, my parents, I gave them a wet hug and spread the good news through the cheesy grin on my face.

I was very nervous standing on that starting online with my dad, who had took the day off to run the race with me. I remember the sun beating down on me as I stood there waiting for cannon to fire and the sea of runners around me waiting to rush forward. I feel could the tenseness of everyone in the air. Then the cannon went off and my dad and I took off at a fairly steady pace. At first I started out strong and kept up with my dad easily, but after the first mile I had slowed down a bit and I was getting tired. By mile 2 i was worn out and felt as if I couldn’t go on. I was breathing hard, thirsty, and my legs felt like weights.

I then quickly began to consider failure, but I knew that was not an option. So I gathered my three other teammates who would perform in the race with me to pray and breathe. Soon enough the first leg of the relay stepped on the starting line. Following with the official finally speaking into the intercom, “On your marks, get set.” At that moment, I took a deep breath and said to myself “I just have to go!” “Set!” and then the gun fired. The first leg on my relay shot out of the blocks instantly, in a way I had never seen her do before. First hand off, second hand off, then it was finally my turn. As I took my place on the track, I stood on my tiptoes and waited on third leg to close the gap between us. 10 meters, 5 meters, I said to myself as she approached me for the hand off. “Rocks!” she screamed, as the signal for me to reach back for the baton during my take off. After I snatched the baton my knee drive lifted, while making sure my arms were exactly ninety degrees, from my cheek to cheek. During the first 200 of my 400-meter race, two other fourth leg runners, from opposing teams stayed right in front of me. After 10 meters, I finally passed one, and then I began to feel quite fatigued. My legs felt like seventy-five pound dumbbell weights and my arms felt weak. Therefore, I started to feel as if I was not going to make it and settle for second place with 100

The question was: how? I attended orientation and it was one of the best weekends at UNG. I fell in with the love and passion the orientation leaders had and from that moment I knew that I have to become an orientation leader. I want to share the amazing experience that orientation offers upcoming freshman. In addition, I am a commuter and want to help upcoming freshman know that they have access to resources that UNG offers even if they are commuters. I want to make them feel welcome and part of this amazing community that I have fallen in love