Pride Sample

The roar from the crowd gets louder as you make your way down the funnel of flags.

Each breath you take allowing you to pump faster… faster… stronger… stronger. Your feet

pounding against the grass leading you one step closer to your destination. The destination

you’ve been working towards all season: the finish line. Never in my life did that finish line

look more majestic than my last race junior year when I placed 9th in the CIF California

Division 3 Cross Country State Championships. Cracking the Top 10 and receiving All State

Honors had been a dream of mine ever since freshman year. Back then I had trouble even

making the state meet. My first year of running in high school I missed qualifying for state my 2

places. The following year, my sophomore year, I qualified and placed 55th overall. Then came

the summer of my junior year when I became more determined than ever to make my dreams

come true. I increased my overall mileage, took less rest between intervals, started eating more

healthy, and made sure I got plenty of sleep. In the end, it all paid off. I remember my dad

calling out, “You’re in 18th Quinn!” at one mile to go. A group of four girls was slightly in front

of me with another group of 5 a few more seconds in front of them. I knew if I had the strength

to catch that first group I would gain the momentum to catch the second and put myself in the

position to medal with less than 800 to go. So I took off, chasing both the girls in front of my

and my dream to place in the top 10. I remember that finish was like no other. I was in 9th

sprinting towards the finish line doing using what little strength I had left to get me there before

being passed. My heart was pounding from my chest, my feet on fire. No one knew, or could

even begin to imagine, how much this meant to me. Three years of hard work and determination

to lead me to this one moment and I did it. I performed the day I needed to the most. Running
as a whole is my pride and joy. I find myself taking pleasure in the sport no matter the

circumstances. Whether it be a sweet victory or agonizing defeat I will always respect this sport

for what it is and remain grateful to have it play such a large role in my life. I can only call

myself blessed to have been recruited by Southern Utah University from my outstanding

performance as a junior. I am proud of myself for turning something I love more than anything

into something I can actively participate in during college. The time has come to let go of high

school, make new dreams for college, and start chasing them.