I did it again, I signed up for two races in one month; this time the second one was supposed to be easier. I ran the 4th annual CPS Fun run/walk 5k, hosted by Commonwealth High School in Hato Rey and organized by my coaches.

I was excited for this race because last year I did very good, compared to my first year, and even finished four minutes faster. After that, I expected this year to be close to that or better, maybe even beating my personal best in 5k’s.

At the beginning of the race I thought maybe I could make that happen; I started at a slow but steady pace and finished the first mile in less than 13 minutes, my regular pace. I felt pretty good when I reached the first oasis but apart from not running myself, we were still in a mostly residential area with trees and shade.

By the time I reached the first oasis, I was out of the residential area and began to feel the heat and humidity. The water helped a lot but this time I was also carrying a small energy gel to eat throughout the race anytime I felt like I needed it. That, plus the Gatorade I got at the second oasis shot have given me a small boost of energy to get to the finish line faster but for some reason I just couldn’t. I didn’t want to push myself that much this time, considering the heat, ankle issues and I didn’t want to do anything to ruin my upcoming vacation. 

I kept my run/walk strategy and planned to speed up when I saw the finish line, until I heard my coach calling my name, telling me I only had 400 meters left. That was it, when your coach tells you to run, you run! As I got closer I peeked at my watch, it said, 39 minutes and that was another push. I had to make it to the end in 40 minutes or less, not 41.

I made it across the finish line in 40:39 minutes. I did expect more from me going into that race. Maybe things would have been different if I had taken a small break to walk halfway through the first mile. I’m not used to running that long without a break and it was too hot. It’s been two years and I still haven’t learned my lesson. 

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Published by mariacristinasanfeliu

I’m an aspiring writer still looking for exactly what I want to write about, with a lot of creativity, imagination and desire to write. I studied Writing and Rhetoric at Syracuse University where I explored many different sides of writing through my classes and extracurricular activities in order to narrow my search for an identity as a writer. I have written for Citrus TV Noticias and La Voz magazine, both of which gave me the chance to explore different mediums in which to write in. Through Citrus TV Noticias I also gained experience in translating from English to Spanish and vice versa, which is also something that I would be interested in working on since I am fluent in both of these languages. I was also an intern at Syracuse University Press where I got hands on experience in what goes into actually editing and publishing a book. Through out the last four years I have faced a lot of challenges, which helped chape the person I am today. After being in a tragic car accident, being in comma, having a Traumatic Brain Injury, and being in therapy for over a year, I am a new me, willing to face challenges and knowing how to deal with them. I want to write about my accident and life after it to help others, show them it can be done and help in any way I can.

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