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Joining the track team in 8th grade COMPLETELY changed my life.

Before I joined track, I loved playing soccer, softball and tennis. I truly enjoyed athletics. But, I was far from the best player at any of these sports; and on top of that, I was an outsider on every team.

It wasn’t that my teammates didn’t know me –

I was an outsider because I wasn’t cool, and middle school girls can be cruel.

I felt their cruelty at every practice and game. Most of the time it wasn’t outright meanness, it was just the pain of feeling left out.

When I joined track, so much changed.

I did well. I won races. For the first time, I felt that I might have a talent.

Teammates seemed to like me

and an older sister of two teammates came to a race and suggested I join the high school team with her!

My feelings of inadequacy gradually turned into confidence.
I was no longer feeling left out. I began to be invited to hang out with my new teammates.  I felt welcome.

But that was just the beginning of how it changed me for the better.

What compelled me to join track was simply being invited to sign up by a friend up the street.

The sense of belonging I received was just the beginning of how running positively impacted my life, my character and my faith.

Running is a unique sport.  We had a popular saying that went on a tee shirt, “our sport is your sport’s punishment”.

Running hurts. It requires struggle and suffering.  It allows you see the benefit of sacrifice.

Running allowed me to remember the pain and suffering Jesus experienced for me.

When you run long distance you are given a lot of time with your thoughts.  So on those long runs you often think, “why is this happening”, “what am I supposed to do about this or that” – and you also think, “wow, this hurts – I want to stop”.

I can picture that one hill in college.  Ugh, it was steep.  We did repeats of that hill for a workout – but running up that thing in a race ONCE brought such a burning sensation to my thighs and lungs I could not help but think,
“if Jesus could carry his cross, you can get up this hill without walking”.

Believe me, I wanted to walk.  I wanted to stop and sit down.  But the thought of Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice got me up that hill.

I guess that was my way of offering something up. Those conversations with him deepened my relationship with Him.  Why this talent God?  How do I get through this pain?  What do you want me to do with my life?  They may not have been answered right away, but simply bringing those questions to God in prayer while I was running nourished a real relationship.

Read more about suffering here: When the Struggle is Really Real

Running gave me the opportunity to see my own growth and improvement, simply by observing my own progress.

It is said that comparison is the thief of joy.

This can be true in any competitive sport.  There is always someone better.  Although this is true in Track and Cross Country, there is an added element that allows a runner to feel successful.

When you run a race, you hope to get a better time than you did before.  If you get a better time – that is victory!

No matter what place you come in, if you ran your “PR” or best time – that was and is cause for celebration.  Everyone can be a winner in a sense – and it doesn’t have to be at the expense of anyone else’s feelings.

Many times we put in hard work and effort and it takes a long time to see the results.  With running, you could run an 8 minute mile, then a 7 minute mile, then you are under 7 minutes – possibly in one season.  You are able to see your hard work paying off!  That is such a beautiful gift – to know that your work is making a difference!

Running gave me a way to improve my mental health.

I remember thinking and wondering “why running?  Why would God give me such a stupid talent!?”  “Why not singing, acting, being funny – how is this talent helpful to anyone – ever?”

(I wrote about this question here: My Stupid Talent Was a Great Blessing)

Then, in my 20’s and 30’s I appreciated running for completely different reasons.  I never experienced the “runners high” marathoners speak of  because I never ran a marathon.  But going on a half hour run really gets the right juices in your brain flowing.  Endorphins, dopamine or whatever, they really give a boost of positive emotions that we often need or desire.

Running kept me out of trouble.

I wanted to rebel in high school.  I was sick of being “un-cool”.  Someone offered me a cigarette and I accepted.  Then again, it was offered – and I thought, “I’m finally good at something – running.  Smoking will mess that up.”  I said no.  I said that I didn’t want to because it would affect my running.

It gave me a structured activity to participate in after school every day.

It helped me make friends with other students who valued education and hard work.

I want other girls to feel the love of self running gave to me!

This month, any books that are bought as a donation will be given to the Mighty Precious Feet- Girls’ Empowerment Program so that together, we can help girls feel more important and confident.

Please help by making a donation here!!!  Yes, I want to donate a Be Yourself Journal to Mighty Precious Feet!

Ceci Escobedo, the Founder of Mighty Precious Feet and Hair Bows 4 Life, is so excited and grateful that we are donating books to her new program for Catholic girls.  I asked Ceci:

Why do you hope the girls in your program receive a Be Yourself Journal?

Ceci:

After I read the first Be Yourself Journal, I was taken back by how ideal this Journal is for the girls in our club. I love how each page shows different ways that a girl can really look inside herself and see how precious she is. It is very interactive with different ways to enhance and courage a girl to be herself. This is what we do in each of our sessions. Our main goal is for each girls is to just be herself, a precious daughter of God!

I also asked Ceci:

How does this journal re-enforce the values and skills you are teaching the runners?

The journal re-enforces the virtues as well as the empowerment tools we are implementing for example: respect, integrity, positive thinking, goals, just to name a few. The skills we are trying to foster in our girls is something that goes across the board, every aspect of their lives not just running, but as well for their schoolwork and spiritual life.

You can donate a journal to this Catholic/Christian running program here: Donate a Be Yourself Journal

You can also purchase a journal for you love one from our shop page or through Amazon! Great deal now – under $13 shipped!!!!

If you choose Amazon, remember to have the journal SHIPPED TO:

Mighty Precious Feet

7446 Mahalo Hui Drive

Diamondhead, MS 39525

If you can not afford to purchase a book to donate at this time, please, please, please share this post with friends – share it on Facebook, Twitter – Pin it on Pinterest!  That will help us get these journals out to more girls and help others learn about the new Mighty Precious Feet Program!

Read more about the Be Yourself Journal here: Dear Beautiful 13 Year Old . . .

Dear Beautiful Girl Trying to Find Yourself

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The post How Joining Track Was the Best Decision I Made as a Teen appeared first on Prayer Wine Chocolate.

As a child, I loved playing sports.  I started playing tennis in the summer when I was seven, and when I was nine my parents signed me up for soccer.

I loved them both.  However, I was not so great in either.

I kept at it though.  I truly enjoyed playing.  I also liked that there were other girls my age playing that shared my interest.  I had hoped to become a part of their crowd.

That didn’t really happen.  I wasn’t cool.  I was awkward, shy, and so skinny I was often made fun of; in fact a boy in my class decided to honor me with the nickname “toothpick”.

I was not seen as athletic, although I saw myself as an athlete.

The fact that others did not see me as I saw myself was made crystal clear when a teacher put me on a tug of war team in 8th grade and literally every classmate vocally objected to the idea. In response to their protests, I approached the teacher in private and asked to be taken off the team.

Not being good at what I loved made me sad.  Not having a bond with my teammates made me even sadder.

But, I did not give up.

Towards the end of my eighth grade school year, a friend of mine said she was signing up for track.  I decided to sign up too.

I was put in the 400 Meter race (one lap around the track) and I won.

I thought, well that’s weird.  That probably won’t happen again.

But it did.  I was apparently good at something – running.

It felt good to actually be good at something.  It also felt foreign!

So I kept running.  I went from not knowing what cross country was to being one of the top girls on my high school team as a freshman.  I had for the longest time dreamed of being in high school and starring in the drama productions that drew in crowds; but I ended up choosing running over acting in the play.  That was not an easy choice for me, but it was the right choice.

The team was small, but the girls were very nice.  They became such good friends of mine. I ran almost every season in high school; and when I was a senior the athletic director gave a speech at our sports banquet saying, “every time this young woman puts sneakers on, she wins All-Catholic”.  Then he awarded me the Athlete of the Year award.  Ironically, many of the girls I had played soccer and tennis with were there , hoping to win that award.

I was happy and grateful.  But I didn’t understand why God gave me this talent.  I didn’t think it helped anyone.  I did not get a college scholarship for cross country or track.  I was recruited by a few Division II and III coaches though, and was given a lot of financial aid based on need.  I remember my dad being very disappointed that I didn’t get a scholarship. Personally, I was relieved.  I was not a straight A student.  I struggled in school.  I wanted to go to college and do well – and I had a feeling I may have to quit running at some point in order to better my grades.  I didn’t want to be obligated to run.

I started college as a Nursing Major.  I knew I wanted to help people . . . but that’s all I really “knew”.  I ran for my college Cross Country team and started taking training more seriously than I had in high school.  It was so tough.  I can still remember workouts that required running up steep hills and me asking God,”why?  why this?  This is not helping anyone!”. I recall thinking, “this is a STUPID talent!”

Only runners understand the complexity of our sport.  I would go into the ladies room before a meet or race and everyone in there is saying, “Ugh, I don’t want to run!”  Racing is nerve wracking and it hurts.  I didn’t love running like I loved soccer and tennis.  I did it because I liked the feeling of being good at something.  There is a great satisfaction when you run a 5K faster than you ran the last one.  Running allows a person to measure progress.  

But even throughout college, I kept wondering why God gave me this talent.  I wanted to help people.  How was spending hours a day training and hours of my weekend at meets helping anyone?

I changed my major from Nursing to undecided, simply because I didn’t feel passionate about nursing.  Eventually I became a Psychology major and worked toward a teaching certification.  I thought I would eventually help students in a role as a guidance counselor.

And I kept running.  I won two conference championships in college.  It felt really good to win.

I graduated college and started teaching.  I coached a few high school teams and tried to keep running on a regular basis, but that was really difficult.  I hope I helped some students I coached.

At age 30, I finally got married.  I had been wanting that for a long time.  I asked my brother to speak at my wedding.  My brother Brian and I are close – and my brother is hilarious! I knew he’d give a great speech and have the guests laughing.

And he did.  He gave an awesome speech.  He not only had everybody laughing, he also interwove sentiment within it.  And to my surprise, he shared how he became motivated to run and eventually coach.

He said it was because he watched me do it, and thought:

“if Amy can do it, maybe I can too.”

Brian then shared how much he loves coaching and how he attributes my example as one of the reasons he made the choices he made in his own life.

My brother won a “Lifetime Coaching Award” at age 30.  He is an excellent coach.  Not only does he help students become incredible athletes, but he teaches them good character.

I had no idea the impact I had.  All that time I was telling God, “I’m not helping anybody.”

God knew I was.

As I reflect on “why did God give me the talent to run well”, I not only think of my brother. Don’t get me wrong, that really touched my heart!  But I don’t think I was the only reason he chose the path he did.  I also look back and see that when I chose to run in high school, I made a few friends that eventually were going to daily Mass, and inviting me along.  I can also look back and see that being at practice and pushing myself there made sure I was not somewhere else doing who knows what.

Running allowed me an environment that nurtured my faith . . . what a great blessing.

Linking up with Reconciled to You for a #worthrevisit Wednesday!

The post My Stupid Talent Was a Great Blessing appeared first on Prayer Wine Chocolate.