<p>Here is my Personal Statement for Topic #2: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?</p>
<p>I would really appreciate it for some feedback. </p>
<pre><code>The adrenaline rushed through my body as the bullet went off and the start of the race began. The jolt of pain surged throughout my leg and I wanted to stop, but the adrenaline was too high to focus on the slightest ounce of pain. Rain pelted against my face as I focused on the entire race, fighting to make my way up the numerous hills. Now halfway through the race, the pain subsided slightly, as I focused primarily on driving my way up the next set of hills. Reaching the top of the last hill, the pumping of my arms accelerated and my stride lengthened.
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<p>As soon as I passed the finish line, a grin spread across my face, with the realization that I just achieved my best time of the season. My legs felt like they were about to give out as I slowly started my way back to the team tent. Taking a seat on one of the benches, I noticed that my shin was pulsating with an immense amount of pain. I sat for awhile, but the pain didnt subside. Thinking that I had a muscle cramp, I decided to walk it off, but ended up not being able to put the slightest amount of pressure on it. And at that moment, I knew something wasnt right.</p>
<p>That night, as soon as I arrived back at school, my parents took me to Urgent Care. The pulsing around my shin continued for the next hour as we waited in the dreadful waiting room to be called back. Remaining hopeful, I continued to map out my plans for the rest of the season. After they finally called me back and examined my shin, they concluded that crutches for two weeks would be the most suitable option, finalizing that my pain was shin splints.</p>
<p>Crutches inhibited my normal daily activities. The frustration of not being able to carry my own textbooks to class or being able to open doors for myself caused me to become angry with myself and the people around me. A week went by, but the pain continued to increase. I was scheduled for an MRI and a bone scan, and the news from those worsened my ability to remain independent. I had multiple stress fractures in both shins. One shin was worse than the other. This forced me to stop running for the rest of the season, put me on crutches for an additional eight weeks and a heavy black boot was now strapped to my leg.
I was stripped away from the one thing that I was passionate about and now had to rely heavily on others. A normal day, which seemed so easy before, was now a struggle. Countless hours in the waiting room of my physical therapist and orthopedic drove me to remain hopeful that, eventually, I would be able to run again and recover from this. </p>
<p>The optimism overtook the frustration at one point and enabled me to still be passionate about running, even if I wasnt the one participating in it. I continued to go to the races and cheered my teammates on. I continued to remain strong even after the doctors told me that I probably wouldnt be able to run again without breaking my leg. But, the perseverance in me engulfed the rest of my emotions, and I told myself that I could overcome this obstacle. I would be able to recover fully enough to come back the next season and be able to run a meet again. And throughout the physical and emotional pain fracturing my leg has caused me, one thing has stuck with me: keep trying. In life, one has a limited number of chances, so one must keep trying, even if there is no hope at all. And one year later, I was able to finish my last cross country season of high school.</p>
<p>Trying over and over again is better than giving up, regardless what the obstacle may be. Fracturing my shin has enabled me not only to persevere in sports, but also school, and life in general. Now, whenever I am faced with a predicament, I reflect on the pain and suffering that I endured and use that to tell myself that I will be able to overcome this situation with optimism and determination.</p>