No pain, no gain....

On Monday of this week, we began our first official practice for volleyball. This year I am a senior so it is exciting to finally be at the top. Well, before I get my chance to shine and show what I can do on the court, I first have to make it through the wonderful mile run. Every year I dread the mile. We are required to run it in under eight minutes in order to be done running it for the season. Well, I know for a fact I will never be able to make it. But every year up until this year I have tried to prepare for the mile and about a month or so beforehand I will run three or four times a week at my house. Granted this did help, but I never even got close to making it under eight minutes. So this year I decided, why bother? I thought I won't prepare and just get out there and do my best when the time comes. Well, the time came on Monday and I won't lie....I practically died! lol I was huffing and puffing but I finally made it across the finish line. So after a tough practice and a short night of sleep, I woke up early Tuesday morning to do the same exact thing. I had to go run another mile. As I got out of bed, I was sore and could barely move. The same thoughts I have had every year about this time crept into my mind, "Why do I do this? I hate the mile. I hate running. I hate conditioning. Why do I do this?" And in previous years I had even considered quitting volleyball. But this year it is different. I no longer want to quit volleyball, because I finally know the answer to my question. I love volleyball. I love the sport. I love the sound of a ball hitting the floor on the other side of the net and the cheer of the crowd when we get the point. I love making the perfect set so the spiker will crush it and the ace chant being yelled as I watch the ball drop to the ground between the other team's passers. I love it all. Sure I don't love running, but I love volleyball. And if running makes me a better player, then I will do it. This is my last year playing volleyball and everything is a last for me. I ran my last, first mile on Monday. I have learned that I need to cherish everything and enjoy it while it is still there, because next year I will be busy with college and the sport that has been a part of my life for the past 7 years won't be anymore. I want to make this season count and try my hardest to be the best player I can be....even if that means running a mile everyday.