iweli
Jan 4, 2015
Undergraduate / The track. 'I slowly arch my hips above my shoulders and make a quick mental checklist' [4]
Hey guys! This is my first thread so it would mean a lot if you comment! Thanks!
Prompt: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience, and why is it meaningful to you? [650 words max]
The umpire raised his gun above his head and fixated his steely glaze on us. "On your marks..."
I step up to the starting line and firmly place my foot on the track. The rapid beating of my heart drowns other sounds as it approaches an incessant crescendo. I lean forward and place my clammy palms behind the thick white line.
"Get set..."
I slowly arch my hips above my shoulders and make a quick mental checklist. Head and neck in line with spine? Check. Eyes focused ahead on track? Check. Finally, I take a deep breath, holding it in. My heartbeat gradually fades as my muscles anticipate the umpire's gunshot...
For as long as I can remember, the track has always been a happy place for me. A lot of people might view the track as solely a platform for fitness or staging events. However, I see it as so much more. I feel an inner joy whenever my spikes sink into the muddy-red tartan surface. At such an instant, I am more than just an athlete-rather; anyone I choose to be. During these happy times, I embrace the boundless freedom the track has to offer.
One limitation many associate outdoor sports with is the prevailing environment. Moving from France to Nigeria, I had to endure the intense heat that greeted me. This often left me dehydrated and exhausted before I even stepped on the track. I eventually adapted by drinking plenty of water and wearing light clothing.
My subsequent move to England for study provided new obstacles. On commencing the demanding International Baccalaureate, I feared I would have to sacrifice track time for studying. This was coupled with the unfamiliar and unpredictable weather in England. The cool and rainy climate was a stark contrast to Nigeria. My love for track motivated me to adapt under these harsh conditions and balance my busy schedule. I now approach my schoolwork and sporting activities with the same mental determination that helped me overcome my previous track related problems.
And just as track has engendered in me a constant desire to prevail, it is the one place I can truly be myself. All that remains is the track and I in that single moment of solitude. On the track I have pushed my boundaries and reached new levels that were seemingly impossible.
A sprinter by trademark, I have a clocked a personal best time of 11.2s in the 100m but lacked the stamina to contest in longer distance races. This never fazed me until I was drafted for a decathlon where the winner would be awarded a "Sports Colour Tie," the ultimate sporting achievement at school. Over the next few weeks, I trained arduously in my happy place, often by myself. On the day of the decathlon, I duly won the sprint races and fared reasonably well at the field events. The last two events were long distances (800m and 1500m) and at this stage I was only a few points behind the top athlete. Those two races were the longest but most rewarding of my life. I won the 800m but fell short in the 1500m. Most importantly, I accumulated enough points to clinch first place!
That day I realized a hidden potential and started specialising in another event. I could easily have decided to lose hope over course of those two races, but what for? I have adopted this virtue of perseverance and trying new things in other aspects of my daily life. Slowly as I approach the end of my diploma, I reflect on those rare moments on the track as a catalyst to facing life's challenges.
The umpire fires the gun. "GO!"
I'm not scared anymore, I'm happy. As I run, the other runners seem to fade away. It's just me and the track now. I keep my eyes fixed ahead; I'm closer to the finish line.
[650]
Hey guys! This is my first thread so it would mean a lot if you comment! Thanks!
Prompt: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience, and why is it meaningful to you? [650 words max]
The umpire raised his gun above his head and fixated his steely glaze on us. "On your marks..."
I step up to the starting line and firmly place my foot on the track. The rapid beating of my heart drowns other sounds as it approaches an incessant crescendo. I lean forward and place my clammy palms behind the thick white line.
"Get set..."
I slowly arch my hips above my shoulders and make a quick mental checklist. Head and neck in line with spine? Check. Eyes focused ahead on track? Check. Finally, I take a deep breath, holding it in. My heartbeat gradually fades as my muscles anticipate the umpire's gunshot...
For as long as I can remember, the track has always been a happy place for me. A lot of people might view the track as solely a platform for fitness or staging events. However, I see it as so much more. I feel an inner joy whenever my spikes sink into the muddy-red tartan surface. At such an instant, I am more than just an athlete-rather; anyone I choose to be. During these happy times, I embrace the boundless freedom the track has to offer.
One limitation many associate outdoor sports with is the prevailing environment. Moving from France to Nigeria, I had to endure the intense heat that greeted me. This often left me dehydrated and exhausted before I even stepped on the track. I eventually adapted by drinking plenty of water and wearing light clothing.
My subsequent move to England for study provided new obstacles. On commencing the demanding International Baccalaureate, I feared I would have to sacrifice track time for studying. This was coupled with the unfamiliar and unpredictable weather in England. The cool and rainy climate was a stark contrast to Nigeria. My love for track motivated me to adapt under these harsh conditions and balance my busy schedule. I now approach my schoolwork and sporting activities with the same mental determination that helped me overcome my previous track related problems.
And just as track has engendered in me a constant desire to prevail, it is the one place I can truly be myself. All that remains is the track and I in that single moment of solitude. On the track I have pushed my boundaries and reached new levels that were seemingly impossible.
A sprinter by trademark, I have a clocked a personal best time of 11.2s in the 100m but lacked the stamina to contest in longer distance races. This never fazed me until I was drafted for a decathlon where the winner would be awarded a "Sports Colour Tie," the ultimate sporting achievement at school. Over the next few weeks, I trained arduously in my happy place, often by myself. On the day of the decathlon, I duly won the sprint races and fared reasonably well at the field events. The last two events were long distances (800m and 1500m) and at this stage I was only a few points behind the top athlete. Those two races were the longest but most rewarding of my life. I won the 800m but fell short in the 1500m. Most importantly, I accumulated enough points to clinch first place!
That day I realized a hidden potential and started specialising in another event. I could easily have decided to lose hope over course of those two races, but what for? I have adopted this virtue of perseverance and trying new things in other aspects of my daily life. Slowly as I approach the end of my diploma, I reflect on those rare moments on the track as a catalyst to facing life's challenges.
The umpire fires the gun. "GO!"
I'm not scared anymore, I'm happy. As I run, the other runners seem to fade away. It's just me and the track now. I keep my eyes fixed ahead; I'm closer to the finish line.
[650]