Running to be the best is not a every easy task. First and fore most you have to run and practice harder then very one else out there. It also helps if you have people of the same or better skill and talent with you to practice with. I haven't been running for all my life. I just started recently when I entered high school. I had no intentions of running track, it just happened. I ran into the track coach in the hall as he was posting flyers on the wall for his team. I asked him a question that he had heard a lot of from people "Randolph haves a boy's track team?" He said "yes" and convinced me to come and check it out. I did go and tried it out and found instant success.

Over the three years I have been running for A.Philip Randolph High School the only year I really had people to run with in practice was my freshmen year. Every since then I've been basically running by myself in the events I train for which are the 400 meter and 200 meter dash. And during that time the other people who have trained with me have only just joined the team as freshmen or have just started running so it has taken them time to get used to how things are done. So I have been a leg down from all the other runners who have people to train with.

The next thing I've learned on my quest to be the best is that there are many obstacles. One of the biggest obstacles is injure. The fact that I have God watching over me and have talked to him about these goals that he has allowed me to have only minor injures, such as a twisted ankle which is not that hard to overcome. The next road block is the fact that many people are in disbelief that you can achieve your goals or do not want to see you achieve your goals. I have learned to try to block out all this negative people and to try to use all this to motivate me to want to reach my goals even more. So far I think it's working. Even though I have encountered these people a lot during my short high school, I know I'll end up on top.

The next step to being the best is to accept that you can't have good or great days all the time. You will have days when you don't feel good or dont't feel like running but you have to dig deep in order to finish your race or practice. And you will have to take scarfices and take risk in order to achieve anything or get even closer to your goal.

The one important part of running that I have learned recently is that for you to take your game to the next level, you must have some type of experience. This means if you're going to run the 400 and be very good at it, you have to run the race more than 10 times. Once you do that you will learn the whole concept of the race. You will know when you can do what and how to do it. The race will become second nature to you, that you can run it in your sleep. Once you have gained this experience you will find it very easy in any competition or meet.

The last thing which, to me, is the most important part is to never give up on your goals. Do what it takes to reach them. Seek advice from older people or more experienced people in your field. Don't get a big head and think you're better than everyone. That person can teach you a trick or to about your event that you never knew. So never every give up or settle for anything else that is not your best. Go out there and give them 200% all the time.

armorytrack

USA Track & Field