I believe in my running sneakers and every accomplishment I’ve reached in them. From a very young age I was interested in the fast moving pace of running.  Running has always been one of my interests. It’s just so hard to  say no to the wonderful sensation of running with the wind in your hair.  I started to run by racing my brother around our house.  He was faster than me for a while until he wasn’t.  I was in 5th grade, (3 years ago) when we asked my mother to start our highly unofficial driveway race.  “On your Mark”  “Get Set” “Go”.  We raced down the driveway.  Speeding fast, pushing hard, he started in front, I was right behind him, pushing myself to my limits, until I was in front.  I crossed the makeshift finish line first.  I won.

My first race against someone other than my brother, was in September 2021, at Fort Plain.  It started when my cross-country team arrived at 7:00 the school ready to go.  Cross-country bags in hands uniforms on and bundled up we were ready.  We board the bus.  We finally arrive after what seems like forever,  we set up the Cross-country and tracks infamous camping tent.  We carefully and precisely pin our numbers to our uniforms trying our best to not accidentally stab our selves.  We walk the course surveying every turn and slight elevation or dip in the lay of the land.  We warm up, we are ready when the official shouts, “Modified runners to the start line please.”  “No I’m not ready, I can’t do this.”  I start to think to myself.  They call us up to the line, “On your mark’ ‘Get set’ Bang” Running, Running hard, trying to get out in front. Up the little hills.  Following the course, avoiding the puddles, “You got this,” I think to myself.  I realize that the rest of my teammates are behind me.  I have to keep going.  I can do this. Okay, around the bend, down the path, down the big hill, turn, up the ditch, down the ditch, up the little hill, down the little hill, around the trees, back to the big hill.  I hear Mrs. Decker shouting, “Come on you got this! Don’t give up! Use the hill!”  I push up the huge hill.  Breathing heavily trying to keep going forward.  I made it up the hill.  “Almost done!”  I tell myself.  Around this bend, turn, I am breathing so hard.  I can feel my heartbeat in my body but I keep going.  Around this corner down this path around this softball field.  Last part, turn up the mini hill down the mini hill, turn, turn, push, push, push 50 meters.  Go, Go , Go running as hard as I can I secure 13th place in my very first official race.  That one race and how I felt afterwards has kept me running through both of my modified years and will keep me running for all of Varsity.

Then we come to Track and Field.  My first track meet, April 27th, in Fort Plain was frigid cold.  We were all frozen in our far too short shorts.  The first race/event was hurdle; I’m in that.  “Okay 2, laps!” Coach Daino shouts from across the field, after that dynamics.  I go off to practice hurdles, run, jump, run, jump, run, jump, run, jump, run, jump, run. “55m Hurdles to the start line.” That’s me, here goes nothing.  You got this, no other girls in this, just you and two boys.  ‘On your mark’ you got this ‘Get set’ run fast jump high “Bang!” and off I go.  Running hard jumping high.  I make it over all of them.  I finish 1st for the girls and 2nd overall.  Alright long jump.  They don’t have a 4ft board.  Okay then, after a couple jumps I take my 1st jump, fault, 2nd jump, fault, 3rd jump, counts.  “4×1 relay to the start.”  I got to go, I’m the last — 4th leg — sprint hard.  Here we go, there’s the gun, Go Giana, Go Gina, Go Mae, my turn.  “Go” “Hit” Mae shouts and before I know it I am sprinting towards the finish as hard as I’ve ever sprinted before.  Time to go home.  Coach Daino asks what I got for long jump.  I ask the woman who measured to find out what I got.  She tells me there was no measurement.  I deflate a little and go tell Coach Danio.

Since I got my running shoes, I’ve hit a 7 minute mile.  I’ve set a long jump personal record of 12 feet 1 inch.  I’ve set a personal record of 10.7 seconds for hurdles.  In my running shoes I’ve done so much.  I will continue to run and improve, by always walking up to the start line and putting my right foot forward.