LA Marathon

Alejandro

Eighth grade, Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School

 

This was my first year running for Student Run LA.  The day of the marathon was the day that I have been working for, since the beginning of the first SRLA meeting.  

Before the race took place, I had to just look back to all the good memories I had gone through with the SRLA team at my school. Like remembering that we had gone to the LA Kings Holiday Ice Rink to ice skate, but then the fun part was when I got to meet NBA player, Chris Paul and his family. I got to talk to him for while, but only for an interview for my school newspaper, www.bulldogbugle.com.  Another part of being in SRLA was when the whole team ran to Jack’s Wholesale Candy & Toy because we had accomplished running 18 miles.  The fun part was running in the rain, just to go to get candy from a store. 

         Now the day before the LA marathon, the whole team went to go eat at this restaurant called “Palermo Ristorante Italiano.”  We had problems while trying to get to the restaurant, like we took the wrong subway and we got there late. We may have gotten late to the restaurant, but I had fun during the trip to the restaurant because I took a lot of selfies while on the bus and while walking to the restaurant. When I finally got to our destination, I walked through the doorway and was happy to see that the restaurant has an Italian theme. The food was so delicious that I kept on getting more and more food. Yes, I wasn’t suppose to eat a lot before the race, but I still ate.

          On the day of the race, I put two alarms (my phone and my dad's phone) so if one didn’t work at least I would have another alarm. I woke up at 4:00 and got at school at 4:35 and then waited until 4:45 for the bus to come. The bus then came and took my school’s SRLA team to the Dodgers Stadium, where the beginning of the race started. I waited there for the morning until 7:30.

 

         
         Standing in the line for the race to begin, I was feeling anxious, nervous, and worried, but then I calmed down by remembering all the memories I have gone through with my SRLA team, remembering the good and fun memories. Next thing you know I hear the horn to begin the race.  I had just lost my partner, Moises, who I was going to run the whole marathon with.  I start running to try to find and catch up to my friend, and eventually I did.

           I ran with Moises for the whole marathon. It was great to have a friend who  supported me throughout the race because it would have been harder if I would have ran by myself. We ran all the way throughout the marathon. I saw many of my teachers and cheerleaders from my school that went to support me. I felt happy that I had support from my teachers and the cheerleaders because they kept on screaming to me that you are almost done, you can do this.

           When I saw the twenty-four mile mark, I was tired, walking, feeling exhausted, and felt like I wanted to give up because of the hot weather, but I told myself that you didn’t come this far to just give up. I told my friend, Moises, that we should begin to start running again. So we did.  When I turned around the corner, I finally saw the the finish line. I ran, and ran , and ran. When I got closer to the finish line, I heard people in the crowd screaming, hurray, hurray, you’re almost done!I  Then I started running faster and faster.

 

Finally, I was finished. I started to walk, to go get my medal. I felt happy that I had finished my first marathon. 
  

Jennifer

Seventh grade, Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School

This was my first year participating in SRLA. I have experienced running from one mile up to eighteen miles. All the races have been a great and fun experience. Practicing before every race with the team running to different places has also affected me by meeting and interacting with new people, and I have learned many running techniques.  I  overcame a lot of obstacles along the way during practices and races while preparing for the LA Marathon.  With the day finally coming up to run 26.2 miles, I felt super nervous but excited.

 I had never ran that much so it was a new experience for me. There was a big difference between the marathon and the other races. I seriously thought I was not going to get that tired. I was running through mile 18, and I started feeling frustrated. Running in the sun had a big impact on me because the heat bothered me and I couldn’t concentrate well. While I was running, I started feeling pain and the thing I kept on thinking of was the number of miles I had done.

      When I was running I felt  like stopping and giving up but with the support of people I didn’t even know, I kept on running. I even got to meet someone from another school. I noticed that even while running you can interact with new people that help support you. Having a partner by my side really helped me keep on going and work together. I also enjoyed seeing people running with costumes it made it seem fun. There were people running as Elvis, Mario, Ghost, Minnie Mouse, and much more.

 

      

While I was running I just kept on waiting for the water stations to come.  I loved this day and really want to keep on running. I will say to never give up because either you or even other people you don’t know will push you and you will eventually achieve your goal. 

This was the Best Day of My Life because I got to experience running 26.2 miles even though it was super tiring and almost killed me, but also because I met another SRLA runner, Andrew, along the way that helped me achieve my goal.  Even though we barely met each other, I felt super happy and we became great friends, running together and sharing things about our life!!

 

        

 I will never forget this moment when I ran my first marathon. This has inspired me to keep on running for the rest of my life!! I also accomplished one of my hopes which was to inspire others to stay active and run. I will continue practicing and participating  in future events. 

I would like to thank Andrew for keeping me company and making my first marathon a GREAT experience!! I also want to thank the coaches for all their support and for training me to become a better runner and achieve in life!! Thanks to my team members for being there for me through tough times and supporting me. I will consider my team and coaches as my family because we have gone through funny, sad, exciting, and a lot of emotional moments together. 

I have learned many new things by joining SRLA. I know that I will no matter what I will join SRLA for next year!! I realized that good things come to those who work their butt off and never give up!! The most important thing I learned is that you have to stay motivated because LIFE will  try to beat you up a lot and you have to be PROUD of each and every challenge you came through because the physical and emotional SCARS of those challenge are MEDALS of BRAVERY of NEVER GIVING UP!!!!!    

 

Friendship Run by Mt. Gleason Middle School

On February 2, 2014 the Hansen Dam 18 miler took place.  This was a really important race for me.  It was the last race before the marathon, there was a qualifying time, and it was 18 miles.  I knew this would not only be a physical challenge, but a mental one.

Before the 18 mile race I was a nervous wreck except for occasional confidence boosters.  The pressure of a qualifying time, it being the last race before the marathon, the normal pressure of worrying, and a general lack of enthusiasm made this race quite ominous.  My friends and I did not pass one night without texting each other about how scared we were one week before the race.  Closer and closer the race crept up our back and the more and more scared we became.  The worry of having to go to the bathroom, lack of sleep, lack of food or lack of energy was completely freaking me out!  The thing that made me the most worried was my time.  The only thing I could think of was finishing the race under 4:50 or there would be no marathon for me. 

  It was a dark, cold Sunday morning.  The day of race had finally but sadly come. Truth be told, I prayed for an injury to occur so I would not have to run.  Unfortunately there I was in bed awakened by a text that read “I am worried about today” I got dressed ate breakfast and at 6:10 AM was standing under our tent mentally and physically preparing myself for what I would experience.  5,4,3,2,1 At that moment I said a quick prayer and off I went.  I immediately I felt the pain of every footstep shoot up my calf   It had begun, the longest 3 hours of my life.  My breath began to elevate in sound, my heart was pounding and my legs were burning.  At that point I knew that only being positive would get  me through the pain, the nervousness, and the negativity.  Slower and slower the miles went by.  The first four miles were pure hell.  I felt as if I was walking through fire. Then came mile seven and I got my second wind.  Step by step I was closer to the finish.  My mind set was that after I finished the dam I knew that I would be that much closer to finishing my first 18 mile run.  There I was at the final stretch sprinting my way past the finish line fighting back the tears, and as my foot crossed the pad I knew I had done it.  

When I was handed my medal I experienced mixed emotions.  Some involved a sense of achievement, pride, excitement, relief, and pain.  I was proud of myself for completing something I never thought possible.  I always thought of myself as someone who quits when they think they cannot go any further.   This race was the first wakeup call to the fact that I can do anything.  It also showed me that I should be thankful to every coach, adult, and friend, who told me I could do it because without them this would not be possible.  I was so happy and proud of myself.  It was truly a boost of confidence that I don’t think I could have gotten from anything else.  It was a feeling I will never forget.         

  All the pain, self doubt, and fear I felt was incomparable to the joy I experienced after the race.   I am overjoyed that I joined SRLA because the confidence I gained from knowing I am capable of so much more than I ever thought possible, is indescribable.  I know this race was a true eye opener and all around great experience. I will never forget this truly great day that will remain in my memory forever.

By: Giselle Mota (1^st year runner)