Running For Glory :: Personal Narrative Writing

Running For Glory â€Å"Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited for these motivational words. I have lived by, and allowed these words into my life my freshman year of high school when I decided to run Cross-Country. It was a cold, brisk Saturday morning. We all packed into the big, rusted, old bus, and set off for the race. As we arrived at Kirby Park, I felt a cold chill shoot all the way up spine. I was nervous. I stood up and could feel how badly my legs were shaking. I had the chills, but I was not cold. There were countless butterflies in my stomach just floating around causing tension deep inside of my body. I felt queasy and felt the need to find a toilet seat to rest over. I somehow managed to walk off the bus. I looked up in the gray, cloudy, gloomy, sky and said, â€Å"Please God, help and guide me through today.† I knew God was with me. This gave me the courage and strength I needed to approach the starting line a short time later. We found a shady area under a big oak tree and sat there to stretch. As every other race, we positioned ourselves in a circle to show our team unity. I started to stretch and could feel how sore and tight my muscles were. It actually hurt when I tried to touch my feet. â€Å"Runners gather round,† a distant voice screamed. This meant it was time to start. Our team said a prayer, and then headed for the starting line. As I approached the starting area, I saw the opposing team. They were tall, big, and muscular. I could see the seriousness on their faces. They came to run, and they came to win. My conscience suddenly started to play games with my mind, and I started asking myself questions. â€Å"What if I didn’t train hard enough? â€Å"What if I am not ready? What if we lose?† I finally blocked myself out of that negative world and found myself in the ready position. My knees were bent, and I was ready for the gun to go off.