Neuroscience and/or Bio-engineering are incorporated into my academic goals and I aspire to obtain a PHD in one of these fields. I am the President of the National Honor Society of my high school, Riverside Polytechnic and I am President of The Muse Club which is a music club that brings music to the community. I am principal chair cellist of the Poly High School Orchestra and I have played with the UC of Riverside Orchestra for two years now. I am a Crucifer/Acolyte at my Episcopalian Church and I have earned my Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. Last semester my GPA was 4.14 (weighted) and overall for my first three years of high school it is 3.85. I additionally volunteer at numerous community non-profit organizations.
I have been part of the Varsity Cross Country and Track team for all four years of my high school career. What makes me different from other recruits is not only what I listed above but for the primary reason that I love to run. Running identifies and defines my purpose of life and my existence. Running is a metaphor for my life that I am fortunate enough to experience it every single day. I am graced by noticing this basic ability of running that most every human is born with but usually takes for granted.
When we would have jog-a-thon’s or run races during elementary school it was always my favorite thing to do. By the time I got to middle school and was running more in P.E. I knew it was my sport. I did not know how to make it happen as a sport for me and then I was lucky enough that my future high school coach had a daughter in my grade, that was a distance runner too. I learned what I needed to do to hit the ground running, literally, by the time I was in high school.
Even though I knew that running was a fit for me, I had no idea nor could I anticipate what it would do for me. I did not even notice when it was happening to me. I fell into running and running fell into me, filling me up, metaphorically.
I run cross country and I run long distance track. There is nothing like running and connecting with nature. Running distance during Cross Country season I become part of the air, the dirt, the crunch of leaves under my shoes, the scenery going by all are experiences some people want to avoid at all costs, while I love it best. Some people run to lose weight or to stay healthy and feel it is a cheap and easy way to exercise. For me it is training for a goal. A very structured training. The precision cross country and track training philosophies have been incorporated into other areas of my life. With a plan for any goal it becomes obtainable. Whether running, studying or playing the cello all happen without as much effort with a training plan
Back when I ran in elementary school, running was not part of a team. I always felt back then that running was an individual sport. And it is at times. The training is individual and the winning is too. (Except for relays in Track.) My PR is what I want to beat every time because I am racing against myself. I win my goals when I beat my PR. But running is more than an individual sport to me. Even though there is no ball to toss or catch and no base to slide into, it is a team sport. The team is my tribe of people. The distance running track team and cross country team members are a group dedicated to improving their running. The team supports each other and wants all its members to do well. Distance running is a lifestyle choice and being on the team you are choosing to live that life style. Eating, sleeping and running, and then do over. My entire PE class for four years has been comprised of just running and training to run and even more time after school is spent running. We run on Saturdays and informally meet on Sundays and run some more. Our team attends school functions together too. The team members care about their grades and being good people with sound characters. I therefore want to do well for the team, to raise up all members and be a great example for them. Even though I do enjoy coming in first, second or third in a race just for myself also. I have learned a lot about working with a group from these people and especially with a group that has common goals with my own. This group f my track and cross country team mates is sacred to me and I would do nothing to jeopardize my part or experience within it. A win for them is a win for my school and vice versa.
"No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this or jump higher than that. The human spirit is indomitable." Quoted from Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run a sub-four-minute mile. One reason why I run is my motivation for being part of a running legacy by running faster in the future!
One important revelation I learned from track and cross country running is to obtain and realize your true self and character while becoming someone definitive and that would be one goal toward meeting my distance objectives. Secondly, my concrete life and running goals assist me in reminding myself daily regarding the achievement of all of my lifetime, academic and career goals.
I will bring my tenacious spirit and conviction to your team. I waited all through middle school to be on the long distance running team. The reasons that I run? The bond of the group we all share based upon our common goal of wanting to run and to always do our best no matter what for our school is why I run and I will bring this strength and motivation to your team.
I push through the pain with courage. Courage turns into strength. Patience and getting into the running zone has brought valuable life lessons to me. I know I bring an important part of myself to running and running has given me prized experiences that can be applied to any situation throughout my life time. Every day when I wake up I know one thing I am going to do today is run. There are no questions and no procrastination. It helps too, just plain and simple that I love to run. That is why I run and will be a stand out candidate to your team and school.
Thank you for your consideration.
Michael G. Utterback
