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A month before my first day of ninth grade, my mom knocked on my bedroom door and asked me if I had thought about which sport I'd be going out for. Without hesitation, I replied I'd be trying out for cheerleading. As if it was even a question.
Never mind that I had zero experience in cheer. And zero rhythm, for that matter. I was totally convinced cheering would propel me to instant popularity, something I placed tons of value in as a naive, incoming freshman.
At tryouts, I fumbled my way through the fight chant, blew the choreographed dance and did a few wobbly round-offs before the cheer captain tapped me on the shoulder and told me I hadn't made the first cut. I went home crushed, convinced high school was over before it even began.
That night, my mom came to my room again. This time, she offered her sympathy and a simple suggestion. "Sarah, you should try cross-country," she said, passing me a box of tissues. "I think you'll really love running."
Truth is, deep down, I knew I'd do well in cross-country. Ten years as a competitive swimmer had given me a pretty powerful engine when it came to exercise, especially endurance sports. In middle school, I was always the fastest girl in the timed mile. But I also feared running. I didn't like the feeling of being out of breath, the sensation of sweat trickling down my body or the way my face turned a shade just lighter than a cherry tomato after a few minutes on the move.
Bu hikaye Girls' Life magazine dergisinin August/September 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Girls' Life magazine dergisinin August/September 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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