Muhozi Aimable

I am 19 years old, and I don’t remember the last time I smoked or drank alcohol. I get every pleasure someone would get from drinking and smoking from running. Running is my addiction. I was first introduced to the sport in 2012 as a cross country runner and I immediately fell in love with it. The hangovers that keep me in bed in the morning after running are bruised knees, sore caves, and tight hamstrings. When I feel sick and in need of an injection, I conquer the need by putting on my running shoes, earphones, and shorts, and go off on a run. I enjoy running in trails, the cool breeze from the waving trees is a feeling I can re-live over and over. It frees my mind from all the fears, doubts, and challenges that I experienced that day. Running is my go-to place and my shelter. I love the challenges I get from running. Successfully running 20 miles with swollen knees is the ultimate challenge that can make the impossible, possible. God blessed me with my talent and I continued to devote my spare time to running. I have no time to break into someone’s house, shoplift, or even play video games because my free time is always dedicated to my one true love, running.

However, that was in High School, I am in college now and with every addiction there is always an end. Now go back to the first paragraph and change every verb to past tense. I neither run for college nor remember the last time I ran. I miss it. One lesson I learned from running is that, nothing in this world comes easy, with hard work everything is possible. As human we have to push our bodies and minds to the limit to achieve success.