My ASICS LA Marathon 2015 experience!

My name is Jennifer Guzman, I’m fourteen years old and I’m an eighth grader at Animo Jefferson Middle School. I’ve been in SRLA for two years and it has been an awesome experience! I’ve created so many memories with my past two teams which was one reason of why I joined SRLA. We have been practicing for a long time and have attended many running events. From the first race I realized that it was going to be a fun time working to get to the marathon.

The day finally came for SRLA which made me feel very emotional not just because it was my second marathon but because I was struggling with a pinched nerve in my back which didn’t let me practice. My hopes were lowering every single day and the marathon got closer but then I realized the many people that supported me and cheered me up. So as the marathon got closer my hopes started rising which started making me more positive. Then the day finally came and well I realized that the important thing was to complete the marathon for all our hard work with my team would pay off.

I’m also a journalist, which gives me more time to write and express myself, including about the past events from SRLA, https://bulldogbugle.com/category/sports/srla/.  As a team we have gone to the races from 3-18 miles plus the marathon (26.2 miles) and other events like ice skating, helping out little kids as they become runners, uniting with other schools to eat, having tough workouts, practicing with different schools, running to different places, and the most unforgettable moments of all were creating memories with my friends and even some people that I didn’t talk to before.

The countdown started at my school, walking through the hallways and hearing my teachers and staff telling me that the marathon was a few days away. Every day made me feel so emotional. On Friday our team headed to the race expo to get our bibs and things for the marathon and after that we went to eat at a restaurant which was a fun time having with them one day before the marathon came.

On Friday night I had to sleep early and I just couldn’t stop thinking of the marathon. Eventually, Sunday came and I woke up thinking if I would complete it. Waiting on the bus was making me feel so nervous and when we got to Dodgers Stadium it was kind of sad because we realized that it was the last SRLA event we were going to have as middle schoolers. Warming up for the 26.2 miles pumped me up and made me feel scared yet kind of relaxed.  The race started and I feared that my pinched nerve in my back would come back and that it wouldn’t let me run. Like around mile 15 it started hurting so I had to stop and walk part of it. Then I started having my English teacher’s voice in my mind: her saying “mind over matter” which helped me a lot and I continued to run but I had to run slow.

During the marathon I most enjoyed that there were a lot of people running in costumes and people supporting and cheering for the runners. Also, seeing many posters and banners with a lot of funny sayings that kept me pumped up. The music also entertained me and the people giving out snacks and drinks for the runners. It wasn’t very hot like last year’s marathon which made me feel better. Watching the people eat along the course eat at restaurants while I was running was the worst part of all !

When I finished the marathon I felt super happy and shocked because I didn’t think I would finish it that way, and I was proud when I received my medal and my “Marathon Finisher” sweater. But I think it was worth running 26.2 miles because not only it has helped me be active but also it has made me a more positive, open person. For next year I would like to run the marathon in good condition when I’m not hurt so I can challenge myself more. I would like to keep doing this in the future to create more awesome experiences and stay active!

I would like to thank all my coaches that have supported me throughout the SRLA year! Mostly, my coach, Carl Finer, because he has been there for our whole team and has took his time just to spend time with us. We look up to him because he has ran for a long time and has kept up with us no matter what.

Next year I go to high school, so I won’t have the same team with me, but I know that they can count on me whenever because my SRLA middle school memories, I will treasure them and never forget about it. Well now I come realizing that the phrase that many people used, “Nothing’s Impossible” is actually true.