cadet blogs

School and Cross Country

(Academics, Athletics, Class of 2012) Permanent link All Posts

Now that I am well into 1/c year, I am looking into the future with one eye closed and one eye open. One part of me is ready. I enjoyed being on an 87 foot cutter and interning for Civil Engineering. I was free to do what I wanted, as long as I showed up on time and worked hard. But I have very little underway time or experience and wish I could be more qualified before I show up at my unit next summer. I want to make a good decision, to choose what I want, but it is already hard to balance all the Academy’s demands without also launching a deep investigation into what is available in the Coast Guard for me. And the sad part is that I have spent the past two months letting time fly by. It is time to open up both eyes and focus on the now.

And what I like most about the now is cross country, because I just like to run. It seems like whenever I get around to writing these journals, this is always what I talk about. Running – a recurring theme in my life. On one of my runs the other day, my running buddy and I were running on the track, with the soccer team practicing in the center field. After concentrating at school all day, neither of us could imagine memorizing plays or doing drills or skill-focused activities. I think this is why I love running. It does not require inordinate amounts of concentration, just endurance, consistency, and a mental capacity to push through. I sometimes focus on my stride or getting up a hill or drawing someone back and surging past them, but it does not require intense concentration like school. And since right now, cross country and fall coincide, it makes everything that much richer. Now, the cool breeze, falling leaves, and burnt wood smell often compliment our dash through the woods.

This year, I am doing cross country and indoor track and field. I have been swimming since I was seven, but found that I enjoy running more. I played tennis in high school, but quit that too when I came here. Sometimes I regret not having started running sooner, but I am glad that I know how to swim and play tennis, because now I can enjoy those sports just for fun. It is a blast to be able to go outside and smack tennis balls back and forth with friends after or during a stressful week of Civil Engineering classes, projects, and Excel spreadsheet creations. Or to be able to dive in the water and swim without counting laps, racing, or having to switch strokes. Next year there will be no sports practice time carved out of my day for me. Though I have no doubt I will still keep running, I am going to start running right now with two eyes open and make the most of the time I have left.

More about Katie.

Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/8/2012 2:13 PM