I did not ever think that I would fall in love with something so painful, yet so beautiful and freeing. But I did, and it all happened so fast and unexpectedly.

It all started during the last track meet when I was in sixth grade; one of my good friends came up to me and asked if I wanted to run the mile with her. Before this day, I had just been running the 400 meter dash. But after a lot of convincing, I decided to give the mile a shot, and it was the best thing that I could have done.

“Holmes, how would you feel about running cross country in the fall?” my coach at the time said. Since I was open to trying new things, I figured why not. I told him that I would love to try it, so I immediately went over to tell my dad.

My dad of course, was just surprised that I had ran the mile since I had only run the 400 before. After I gave him a big sweaty hug, which I still do after every race, I looked at him and said, “Coach Amster wants me to do cross country. What is it?” After my dad explained to me what it was, I realized that the name was very misleading. You did not in fact have to run across the country like the name suggests you do.

Throughout the rest of middle school I ran fairly well, but I did not get competitive until I reached my freshman year of cross country. I had no idea what to expect and some of the girls on the team were four years older than me with a lot more training in them.

I was scared on the first day of summer running, I told my parents that I did not want to go because I was unsure about it. My dad then gave me the option; go that day and if I did not like it I did not have to go back or stay at home and never go at all.

Well, I gave it a shot and it was the best decision of my life. One of the older girls, who has been one of my biggest supporters throughout high school, stayed with me that day and made me feel wanted.

From being on Varsity my freshman year, to being elected one of the team captains my senior year, to getting the opportunity to continue running in college, saying yes to running the mile was the best choice that I could have made, and I can not imagine my life without running now.

I fell in love with the run the way one falls asleep; slowly, and then all at once.