Running has always been much more than just a sport to me. To me, it has helped define who I am as a high school student and been instrumental in developing the values I will use throughout my life. I have loved every season of all four years of cross-country and track and field. Most days are not easy, but I always appreciate the challenges necessary for improvement. Over the course of 4 years of high school, I have moved from being an inexperienced freshman to a senior leader of my team, not only because of my success as a runner, but because of my passion and effective guidance. As a 3-year varsity athlete in both sports, I was the only runner at my school to run at the regional cross-country meet in 2021, and then, later that year, the only runner to advance to the regional track meet in 2022. As a leader, I am the member of my team trusted by my coach to relay information to the team, and 1 of 2 selected to visit middle school track programs to encourage and support the next generation of runners. Because of my passion for my sport, I take running much further than just my high school teams. In 2021, after cross country season, three teammates and I made a goal of running a marathon before track season. Alone this seemed an almost impossible challenge, but as a team we worked together and spent many long hours in training. In December 2021, we completed the Dallas Marathon, where I placed third in my age group. In 2022, the seniors I had run with had graduated, but I decided to run the marathon again. This time I invited new members of the team, including underclassmen, to inspire them as I had been inspired. I worked and bonded with them just as I had with the upperclassmen the year before. The satisfaction of watching four new runners complete their first marathon was incredible, in addition to my own improvement, placing second in my age group in one of the major marathons in this country. An important ideal I hold is that the joy that I find in my sport should be shared as much as possible. To do this, I represent my team at the electives fair at my school. I visit middle schools with my coach to motivate young runners. I volunteer at local 5ks, leading the kids’ races, keeping everyone on course and making sure nobody is hurt. I hope my support will inspire future runners to become better athletes and people. I will always strive to be the best leader that I can, both on my team and in my community, and to have compassion for all fellow runners, not just my friends, and not just my own team. My goal as a runner has been, and will always be, to not only improve my own skills, but to have a lasting impact on others and on my community around me.