Running is a sport that requires speed, agility, endurance, and mental and physical toughness. There are different categories of running, which include both sprinting and long distance. Unlike some other sports, running can give you a strong sense of achievement and it can make you feel great mentally and physically,once you get used to it. In my life, I have competed different forms of running, including sprinting and cross country. I started out sprinting when I was about 5 or 6 years old with the rest of my family at the track. I sprinted on the Magnolia track team 6th grade through 8th grade. I did my first year of cross country in 5th grade and 8th grade. This year I went to the state championships for cross country and I never thought that I would make it that far, but I kept my mind to it.

SPRINTING
Sprinting is a type of running that involves power and quick bursts of energy. It is very different from long distance and the longest event that is considered a sprint is the 400m and even the 800m. Injuries are also different. Sprinting injuries usually invlove shin splints and torn muscles. Shin splints can be caused by sprinting too much too soon and can even turn into stress fractures. In this season of track, I developed stree fractures in both legs on the inside part of my shin bones and I was out for almost the entire season. Torn muscles and pulled muscles occur often in the hamstring muscle and calf muscles.


LONG DISTANCE/CROSS COUNTRY
Long distance is different from sprinting because it does not require short quick bursts of energy. It requires sustained amounts of energy. Long distance running can be done on a track or on a course, which is considered cross country. In high school, cross country courses for varsity are 3 miles long. In track, distances include the 800m, 1 mile, and 2 miles. Some injuries related to long distance and cross country are pulled muscles and injuries that can happen on rough courses.




Denise Julian
Frosh Tech Period 5
2 June 2008