Final Blog- Reflection

1                          For my 20-Time project I hoped to accomplish turning myself into a really good 200 meter sprinter and run it in a time of 30 seconds or less. I had always been a good long distance runner, but I always wondered how good I could be at the other track and field events. I ended up accomplishing much more than I ever thought I could. I won my very first 200 race, and also had the honor of getting a spot on the 4x2 relay team at Valley’s. My PR at the end of the year was 27.0 seconds; being the best on the team.

                After I started sprinting, my long distance times had been improving immensely. Instead of just doing long distance workouts at practices, I was switching off between sprinting workouts and long workouts. My mile time went from 6:04 to 5:49 by the end of the season. This is because when I got to the last 200 meters of the mile, I would get the urge to start sprinting instead of just jogging it in. My coach saw this helped me, so he started making the long distance runners do the practices I was doing, and it really helped them too! It also inspired others on the team to try new events they had never done before. I can use what I learned from this experience for when I volunteer with the Jefferson Middle School track team. I can help young runners find the event they will most enjoy and be best at. 
                  It was very difficult to get my coach to let me become a sprinter at the start. I was also AWFUL at using starting blocks. I spent so much time after practice out on the track practicing with them, they just felt really uncomfortable to me. When I would get up from them, I felt like I was going to fall on my face (which is what it’s supposed to feel like) but I did not like it. When I ran the 200 for my second time at regionals, I decided to try the blocks, because everyone else was using blocks and I wanted to look like a legit sprinter too. Not a good idea. I’m pretty sure everyone could tell I was a long distance runner at heart because of how awkward I looked bursting out of them, oh well. Guess I need to keep practicing!

                 I learned that in order to succeed at something, you can’t give up, ever. I never gave up begging my coach to put me in the 200, and I’m so happy for that. I also have gained more respect for the sprinters of the team because I now know that sprinting is not as easy as it looks, same with using starting blocks. For me, the roadblocks didn’t make the project stressful. I just kept working at it, and even though I never really got the hang of starting blocks, I enjoyed every moment of practicing with them. 

                  I would consider my 20-Time project as one of the biggest successes of my life so far. I accomplished so much more than I ever thought I could. It’s been such a great experience practicing with a new group of runners and having an official spot on a relay team running the best leg. I could not be more proud of myself and my team for being so open to teaching me everything they know about the 200.

                It's been a great year, and I can't wait to continue with it next year. Thank you for tracking my progress and anyone who has helped me succeed, I couldn't have done it without your help and support!

20-Time post #5

Regionals did not go as well as i had hoped. It was a very large meet, so for sprints they had prelims. When meets do prelims for open sprints, you have to run once, and then if you place (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) in your heat, then you go on and have to run again for semifinals, and then if you make it through semifinals, you have to go on AGAIN to finals, then if you get a certain time for finals you get to to go states. Sadly, I did not even make it to semifinals due to a hurt knee. I was not happy about that, but i guess it is what it is. On the bright side, we had our last varsity meet at Valley's at Carmen Ainsworth in Flint last Friday, and i got the chance to participate in my first sprint relay! I ran the last leg, which is meant for the fastest runner on the team, so it was an honor my coach placed me there. I ran very well but our hand-off was not the best. When runner #3 was coming in, she was coming in slower than what we had practiced because she was tired (makes sense) so when she hit the exchange zone I took off fast and then had to slow down a lot so that she could catch up, it wasn't a huge deal...just something to work on for next year. My coach told me i ran a 27.0 in the relay, but he must have been a little off on his timing because that's craaazy fast ha ha. And then for my open 200 I ran a 28.3, which was a huge P.R. for me! I'm very upset the season is over and I'm so grateful for the opportunities I've been blessed with. Even though the season has come to an end, i will continue to work and improve myself.

20-time Post #4

We had a home meet last Monday against Flint Powers. An illness has been going around on our team so a few of our runners were not able to participate. It was brought to my attention by my assistant coach that we were short one sprinter, so I jumped on the opprotunity and quickly rushed to my head coach to ask if I would be able to take the runner's place in the 200, and he said yes!!! I was super nervous, becuase when i got up to the starting line all the girls were getting out starting blocks. I only practiced with starting blocks once so I wsn't comfortable using them yet in an actual race. But the funny thing is, I WON! Yes, I won my very first 200 race in a time of 29.07 seconds. I am still in complete shock as to how that happened, but I couldn't be happier! When i crossed the finish line, the boys head coach yelled over to my coach, "I think you found your new 200 runner!"
                  After that race, my coach has now been referring to me as a sprinter. I still continue to run long distance relays. But I now have been participating in the sprinting workouts rather than the long distance workouts. I hope to soon learn how to do sprinting hand-off's for relay's, because they are A LOT more stressful than long distance relay hand-off's. I also hope to practice using the blocks more. My mom used to be a really good sprinter when she was in high school, so she gives me a lot of tips and tricks on how to use them. She also told me that using starting blocks can lower your time by as much as 3 seconds! That's an insane amount of time taken off just by getting a good start.

Below are pictures of me running the 200 and about to start the 200
     

 

20-Time Post #3

This week has been exhausting! We have started to bike using the school's stationary bikes every other morning at 6:30am. I'm not a morning person at all so this has been extremely difficult for me. On the bright side, my coach made a comment to me about how he has noticed improvement in my running, so obviously the extra workout is helping! Sadly, he has a tendency to brush off my request of becoming more of a sprinter instead of a middle distance runner. I asked him if I could run the 200 meter dash at our meet last Tuesday in Saginaw, and what does he do? He puts me in the MILE. Sometimes it can be difficult to get permission to run different races, but he's already made a promise to me that I can run it at least once this season and I am going to hold him to that promise! Other than that, things have been going well and I am improving very quickly, we have a meet today at Midland High and I am running the sprint medley relay, that is a 100 meter dash x2, a 200 meter dash, and then a 400 meter dash, I am running the 400 part, so wish me luck!

20-Time Post #2

The first step to running well is improving your body, so this week I really wanted to focus on my health. I researched some good snacks that apparently are good for runners; one of them was almonds. Almonds are a good source of vitamin E, which is really good for active people, so I now pack a small bag of almonds everyday in my lunch. Whole-grain cereals are also very good for you, so instead of having a quick granola bar in the morning, I now make sure to wake up five minutes earlier every morning to save time to eat a real breakfast. The Special K cereals are delicious! I also used to go to Pizza Sams three times a week for lunch, but I made myself pack a lunch every day this week. My lunches have consisted of lunch meat (in a bag because I don't like sandwiches) almonds, a granola bar, fruit snacks, and a banana. Hopefully I can keep it up next week, it's so hard because I love junk food, but I just constantly remind myself that in order to become a stronger athlete, I must keep myself healthy. Another really cool thing that I learned was starting blocks! Only sprinters use starting blocks, so I had never been introduced to them. The other day my coach thought it would be funny to see how the long distance runners would do with them, and to his surprise (and mine) I got them on my first try! I guess I must just be a natural at sprinting ;) My coach also let me practice with the sprinters on Tuesday, it was super hard because he put me with the best group for my first time, I was so sore the next day I barely had feeling in my legs. It was very different from what we do for long distance practices. We sprinted the 100 meter dash six times, starting at 18 seconds and getting down to 14 on our last one. Harder than it sounds! Hopefully I will be able to have more opportunities to do these workouts in future practices.

20-Time Post #1

For my 20-Time project I am going to challenge and improve myself in both physical and mental ways. I am gong to sprint the 200 meter dash in a track meet at least once this season in a time of 30 seconds or less. I have been on Varsity Cross Country ever since I was a freshman and for track I have only participated in the long distance races such as the mile, 800 meter run, and the mile relay. My mom was the one who always encouraged me to try sprinting but I had always been timid about it. I believe this is the perfect time for me to finally break free from my comfort zone and push myself in a new way. Now that I have taken on a new challenge I have found that I am trying to push myself more at practices. Just running a little longer and stretching a little further has already been making a difference. I'm excited to try this race, and I am going into this new adventure with a very open-mind.