I am a runner; a runner whose life has recently been turned upside down or should I say right side up. Growing up I lived the life of a typical child, but yet missing the one piece that defined who I wanted to be. Behind me, I have 16 years of being overweight with no ambition to better myself physically. I accepted the fact I was not athletic and truly believed there was no way I could ever run alongside my closest friends. March 16th 2016 I was 5’8 and weighed almost 190 pounds and trapped from pursuing my dreams. On that very day I asked a very inspiring girl to prom. She was in far better shape then I could’ve ever dreamt to be. I thought to myself why do I deserve to be with someone like this looking the way I do? March 16th is the day
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I’m casually watching the garage sale, and out of the corner of my eye I see 7 runners briskly running down the street in perfect stride. As they come near my driveway I see it’s the Cross Country team. Led by one of my closest friends, they stop and asked me four words I will never forget, “Joel Join Cross Country”. They left leaving me mixed with emotions. I know I have lost weight but how could I possibly be a Cross Country runner? After many thoughts and dreams on Monday August 22nd I Joined the Penfield Cross Country team not knowing what to expect. I started practice that day, and while we were warming up I remember rehashing to myself “what did I just get myself into”. I stuck with it day after day and week after week all the way until our first race of the season. September 10th 2016 was our first race. I finished the 3.1 mile race with a time of 24:32 running each mile at roughly a 7:55 pace. I felt like I was on top of the world but yet at the same time I needed more. I continued to train harder and harder to the point where on October 9th 2016 I ran my first half marathon. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the progress I have made but my final goal was to finish the Cross Country season in an unbelievable way. October 29th 2016 it was my last Cross Country race in my unbelievable journey, the Monroe County Championship. I ran my heart out the whole race only thinking
I’m casually watching the garage sale, and out of the corner of my eye I see 7 runners briskly running down the street in perfect stride. As they come near my driveway I see it’s the Cross Country team. Led by one of my closest friends, they stop and asked me four words I will never forget, “Joel Join Cross Country”. They left leaving me mixed with emotions. I know I have lost weight but how could I possibly be a Cross Country runner? After many thoughts and dreams on Monday August 22nd I Joined the Penfield Cross Country team not knowing what to expect. I started practice that day, and while we were warming up I remember rehashing to myself “what did I just get myself into”. I stuck with it day after day and week after week all the way until our first race of the season. September 10th 2016 was our first race. I finished the 3.1 mile race with a time of 24:32 running each mile at roughly a 7:55 pace. I felt like I was on top of the world but yet at the same time I needed more. I continued to train harder and harder to the point where on October 9th 2016 I ran my first half marathon. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the progress I have made but my final goal was to finish the Cross Country season in an unbelievable way. October 29th 2016 it was my last Cross Country race in my unbelievable journey, the Monroe County Championship. I ran my heart out the whole race only thinking