Running was always something that I enjoyed doing. It was never something that was forced upon me or that my peers pressured me into doing. From pre-school up until I switched schools in 5th grade, I was the fastest girl there. There was no such thing as competition in my eyes. I wouldn’t have necessarily called myself cocky, but I knew I was good. I liked sprinting, and running short distances was all I ever wanted to do. It was also all I ever thought I was capable of doing. I never knew that all that would change in the matter of 3 years.

My eighth grade year was my second year in Clarkston.  I had gained a lot of friends through the sports I played and the after-school activities that I participated in. Having more friends made me more comfortable, just like being back at my old elementary school. My good friends in Clarkston and I, at the time, all played the sports. One of those sports would be be basketball. But my closest friends, we all really had a passion for one sport in particular. Track & Field.We were 4 sprinters, and we had an amazing relay team. The track season prior to our 8th grade year, our 4x100m relay was undefeated. We felt untouchable and we were all inseparable.But our 8th grade track season we were coming into blind, well atleast I was. We were at the Junior High School now, which meant dealing with new coaches. But I thought for sure they had heard of our relay and our success, which means I wouldn’t have to worry about them splitting our relay up. Which, in all honesty, was what I was most concerned about.  Being taken out of my comfort zone, especially I just entered the comfort zone the year before. At the time, I believed the only way for me to perform at my best was for me to perform in any situation that I was comfortable in. I didn’t prefer running with any other relay team and stressed me out if I had to run an individual event. If I wasn’t comfortable with, then I wasn’t down for it.
“You have really great form. Have you ever thought running 400m? I think you should consider it.” said one of our new coaches, Mrs. Bennick, on the first day practice of our new season. Not just to add, but she seemed very intimidating. Even though she was about my height, she had very strong facial features. She just had the look of a woman that you just didn’t reckon with. I instantly began to stress out, because we all knew what a coach telling you to consider doing something meant. It meant you were going to do it, no doubts about. Adding on to that stress, at the end of week of our first practice they broke the news to us. The new coaches were considering splitting up our relay. Something that none of us were cool with. But specifically, something I was completely uncomfortable with.

Now let’s fast forward. It was the second most important track meet of my eighth grade track season. The Mascot Meet. I had been running the 4x400 relay team as the first the leg, and we were really good. There was a lot of pressure on us. We were 4 seconds away from breaking Clarkston Junior High School’s 4x400 meter relay record. All of these thoughts were running through my mind while I jumped up and down doing warm-ups, getting ready for our relay to start.
“Last call for the 4x400 meter relay.”  the older man shouted through the mega-phone. He began to give us our lanes. Clarkston in lane 3. I took three deep breaths as I gripped the bright burgundy  baton tightly. I was the first leg, so it all started off with me. I could feel my legs shaking in our dark blue uniforms as I walked to my lane with the baton on my left, and the starting block in my right. As I situated my blocks, Alyssa Bey, was the second leg and also one of my closest friends, stood on the block.
“You got this Zee!” she kept chanting to me as I did a few extra warm-ups, just to make sure my body was ready. This was it. Something that I thought I’d never be good at or that I’d even like, had turned into the most important thing to me at the time. A relay team I thought I would never adjust to, became the second most comfortable relay team I ran with. At this moment, I felt all emotions at once. BOOM! The race had began. I erupted from my starting blocks into a full sprint. My heart rate was racing as I approached the first corner. Passing  the girls in 4th and 5th lane, I was back in my comfort zone.
“Pace yourself.” Coach Grievey yelled to me as I was approaching to pass the girl in the 6th lane. He looked as anxious as I felt. Passing the girl in the 6th lane on the back straightaway , I began pacing myself. Steady breathing and a slower sprint than my initial take off.  Pacing myself didn’t last for long because I was so anxious to reach the finish line. Right before I reached the edge of the back corner, I had passed every girl in all the lanes. At this moment I was so confident in myself. Approaching the straightaway closest to the finish line, I could hear the chants starting. From my mother yelling to go faster from the first row of the bleachers, to Alyssa at her starting post telling me that I was almost there. My breathing became heavier because of how tired I was, but I continued to stride. In the middle of feeling like I was about fall over, I reached out with my left and handed Alyssa the, now sweaty, burgundy baton. She took off. It felt like a complete load had been lifted from my shoulders. I  ran a one minute and one second split.
It was in that moment that I realized something about myself. I use to think that I wasn’t capable of accomplishing things on my own, or with people that I didn’t know. I also thought that if I wasn’t in my original comfort zone, that I wouldn’t succeed or do well. I realize now that sometimes it’s better to get out of what you think is your comfort zone and try new things, because they may be the best opportunities out there for you.
That day, our 4x400 relay beat the Junior High record by seven seconds. I realize now that that experience exposed me to more than just my name in bold black letters on a shiny plaque.  It exposed to me to a new profound confidence. Not only in myself, but in my abilities. I now believe that I can accomplish things on my own and I don’t always have to have people beside me to proceed in something that I love. I thought running with my friends was what brought me success. But it turns out, running with confidence brought much more benefits. Confidence. That’s my new comfort zone.