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Savannah Valenzuela
Ms. White

AP Language English

30 September 2020

This I Believe

Since the beginning of my elementary school years, running has correlated with my life.

During the month of November my school hosted the “turkey trot”, an annual running event that

increases distance as one moves up grade levels. This had to be my favorite but most nerve-

racking event of the year. The nervous feeling always hit me a week before the race. My mind

only focused on the race and the countdown of days until it came. Although the thought of racing

terrified me, it also brought great exhilaration. In first grade after running the race and receiving

second place, the start of my love for running grew. The athlete mindset inside did not enjoy

getting passed. A feeling of determination to earn first place came upon me. Every year after my

dad and I started to train the month prior to the race happening. To train we would bike and run

around our neighborhood dirt trail to build endurance. As he made achieving my goals apart of

his routine, the feeling of his support was always there. Two years later, my third-grade self with

butterflies in my stomach, lined up along the starting line of the turkey trot with everyone in the

grade level. The nervous feeling began to make itself more known inside of me. As our PE

teacher slowly began to settle us down, the audience and teachers started to countdown. After

shouting “GO!” and hearing the air horn, we started the race. That year the course required two

laps. Making my way up in the crowd of runners and taking the lead on the second lap, my hard

work of training revealed itself. The finish line now in sight, my last amount of energy burst out
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enough to earn first place. While passing the finish line a teacher handed me a card with the

number one drawn on. With tears of joy in my eyes I rushed to my dad telling him the big news.

A scene replayed in my head to this day and will forever be one of my proudest moments.

The following year, my dad passed. The news hit hard and running no longer came to

mind. This obstacle to continue to live with him not here began to set in. As a nine-year-old,

school kept me occupied and family helped continuously with their love and support. My

mother’s love and support became especially important to me. There are a considerable amount

of words my mother is, but for one she is beyond strong. She became both roles from then on.

Two years later, we both decided for me to join a club track team in 2015. Running helped me

look forward to life again. It became my motivation. For the next two years, running with a team

allowed me to build friendships, find my desired running events, and gain more maturity. Due to

my competitive mindset changing, making the decision to leave in 2017 felt right. My

excitement to race had faded away so, a needed break from racing took place.

Fast forward to sophomore year, I joined the cross-country team. Once again, running

made me feel alive, excited and motivated. However, another obstacle for me occurred. After the

first meet this pain in my left shin began to grow. Shortly after, the pain then caused me to lose

the ability to run comfortably. Every step brought a small discomfort in my legs. Soon after, we

learned that my legs had shin splints. The feeling of devastation hit me. This set me back over

half the season. This led me to taking a month off running while continuing to go watch the

practices and meets. Getting cleared from the doctor, my running season started again! From

there my fast improvements started, gaining me a spot in the top 8 girls to race at sectionals, a

meet where all the varsity athletes from high school districts across the state run. Although we
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did not win, making it to sectionals was enough for me to be proud of myself. I believe that with

determination one can grow.

WC- 682