Picture by Eva Hernandez
Thi runs first race of season
0
1
The starting line to the Rosemead Invitational on Sept. 9 was filled with students prepped to run the freshman division race. In both the girls and boys races, only one ninth grader stood within the masses to run for San Gabriel High School (SGHS) in their first invitational of the season.
“It was overwhelming,” freshman Michelle Thi said. “Because I didn’t have anyone to run with, I felt pressured to do well in order to represent the school in a good light.”
Thi initially joined the sport because of her desire to get connected to more people at SGHS. However, after attending practice in the months prior to the invitational, she realized that the sport was helping her develop in her knowledge of the sport that she had previously disliked.
“People on the team helped me to see that running isn’t just about being fast,” Thi said. “You have to start somewhere, and you’ll eventually get to where you want to be.”
Reflecting on her race, Thi believes that, for the first race of her running career, she had performed at her best. The course, which winds through the Rosemead High School campus and Rosemead Park, proved brutal for the only freshman representing SGHS.
“I tried my best to run as fast as I could,” Thi said. “Near the end, it got painful. But I’m glad I finished.”
She remarks that the Rosemead Invitational will have a special place in her heart, and will continue to be well into the future. She looks forward to her upcoming three years, where she hopes that the race continues to be a part of her cross country experience.
