“I’m capable of taking control of my own life.“
The alarm rang. I checked the clock, and it was 5:30 AM. I didn’t want to get up, but I had to. I needed to get ready for my big race. I was running the LA Marathon. I got to school and left with my Students Run LA (SRLA) peers and coaches, and we arrived at Dodger Stadium. I was anxious to start, not because I was finally going to run the marathon but because my knee was hurting. I wanted to get it over with, but at the same time, I felt like I wasn’t ready to run a lot of miles. I knew that I’d been practicing for this day. When I was at the starting line, my heart, started to skip a beat, but I knew I couldn’t give up, and I knew I had to push through to get to the finish line, which would set me free. At the starting line, I was with my friends. We always run together, and we motivate each other to not give up, and to keep going even if we feel pain.
While we were running, we started talking about how it’s been fun running with each other and how we’ve been looking forward to this day. We continued running through Downtown LA, passing Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Walk of Fame. People were cheering and motivating everyone to keep running. People gave us fruits, drinks, or energizers. We were getting to our sixteenth mile and I was really tired. My right knee started to hurt a lot. I knew I wasn’t supposed to be running because my orthopedic said I had overused my knee, but I didn’t listen. I told myself “I can’t just give up. I’ve been practicing for the marathon.” My knee was hurting a lot, and I couldn’t bend it. I couldn’t keep running or walking, so my friend and I both sat down. We were both exhausted and I sat on the floor thinking about my decision. Did I make the right decision?
Then I thought to myself about accomplishing the race was a decision I made by myself and if I didn’t finish, no one else would do it for me. Achieving a goal set by myself makes me feel proud because I prove to myself that I’m capable of taking control of my own life.
So I didn’t give up. I couldn’t keep my friend from running either, so I got up and told myself that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and if you give it your all. I started thinking back to the day when I told the coach that I want to join SRLA; I wanted to try something new. It’s something I can actually talk about and tell people the amount of effort I put into it. I kept on running because I knew my family was waiting for me at the finish line. Also I didn’t want to get left behind by teammates and coaches. As I was getting to the twenty-second mile, I felt a bit of relief because I was so close to the finish line. I couldn’t keep running, so I started walking fast. I tried walking as fast as I could, but it felt like an eternity, as if I wasn’t getting anywhere. However, I couldn’t let my feet and my knee stop me from getting to the finish line. I didn’t want to just give up because it was my last race.
Getting to the twenty-sixth mile felt good. I knew I was finally getting through it, and I knew I’d get a medal. I was excited to get it. My body felt weak; I couldn’t even walk after, and I actually ended up crying. I was like a hundred feet away from the finish line when I got a cramp in my knee. I kept running, even if it was hurting. Everyone was there watching, and it was embarrassing. It wasn’t just my family, BUT people I didn’t even know, and I didn’t want them to see me walking. I felt proud of myself for getting it done. I received the medal and did not die in the race. Running helps with health. if I didn’t run, I wouldn’t do anything else. It’s better than being lazy and just staying at home.
I felt proud, and I know my family felt proud of me, because they kept saying it. And they thanked God that I didn’t die that day. My mom didn’t want me to run the marathon because of my knee, but she was proud of me. She kept putting it all over Facebook, and she kept talking about it even though I was already done. I was happy and embarrassed at the same time because of my mom’s Facebook posts.
At the end of the day, I felt free because I crossed the finish line safely and accomplished my goal. I also felt free because this was a decision I made for myself and something I could do on my own. After the marathon, I proved to my parents that I could actually take care of myself and be responsible. Whenever I’m trapped in a difficult situation, I think of running and the feeling it gives to me. Running takes my mind off of stress and gives me energy. Running makes me feel free because it’s fully in my control.
About the Author
Natalie J. is a seventeen year old girl born and raised in Los Angeles, California, although her parents are Guatemalan and Salvadoran. She is the second child of three in her family. Natalie has been a runner at Manual Arts High School for two years where she runs cross-country and marathons. In that time she’s run fourteen races, including the LA Marathon. She has been passionate about becoming a pediatrician since age eleven and hopes to work at a hospital to help children. In her free time, Natalie gets on Netflix and watches Naruto, Soul Eater, or Disney movies all night long.
About the Book- Sounds of Freedom: Beats on Concrete
This year’s Young Authors Book Project was inspired by the sounds and lyrics that have sharpened visions of freedom throughout generations. Beginning in February 2019, 826LA partnered with two teachers at Manual Arts High School and their classes to write personal essays guided by the question, “What makes you feel free?” Using their own music selections, this year’s authors wrote essays about how freedom or the journey to find freedom impacts their lives. The 2019 Young Authors’ Book Project resulted in the publication of Sounds of Freedom: Beats on Concrete.
Beats on Concrete: Sounds of Freedom will be available for purchase soon at the Time Travel Mart.