Worth it?

Sometimes I wonder if all the laps are worth it. just this weekend I was proudly showing off our new field house to my visiting parents and we crossed the red track that takes up a quarter mile of our campus. "I don't know how many miles I have run on this track," I quietly mumbled. I love track and I love running, but what could I have been doing during those countless laps around that little red track? I could have been feeding the hungry or helping the poor. I could have been doing homework or meeting new friends instead of getting yelled at by a coach I'm sure I will never completely please. I could have been doing something else. These thoughts were running through my head as my dad answered my mumble with " Think of all of the great things running has done for you." He is right. Running has made me strong inside and out. I have learned perseverance, determination and hard, grueling work. Everything seems easier because of Track and Cross Country. I like coming into a classroom and being able to sit and let my mind do the work instead of the mind and the body. Running has given me the opportunity to travel and to meet all of my best friends. Running has made me laugh far more times than it has made me cry. My memories on that red track leave me with strong emotions. Are all of those laps worth it? Yes. 

Hannah Ferry