What High School did you attend: I went to Pike High School
What got you into running? I started running when I was little. Knowing I’m not from here I got into running as a competitive sport and I liked it but not just because I like winning but also because I feel free when I run and it all started back in my hometown Lagos, Nigeria.
How are you adjusting to College at IUPUI? College is going pretty well actually, there are times when things get hard but I just watch my time management and ask for help when needed.
Do you plan to continue to run in the future? Honestly I don’t think I’ll stop running any time soon because it’s like therapy to me and it’ll also be great for me because I might join the military and we all know they run a lot so just that alone will be a big part of my life.
Daniel’s Essay:
I was young, ambitious, and crazy about being the best and fastest in school. You see that’s the mentality of most people from where I’m from. You’re probably saying what I am talking about is every kid’s dream but it’s not that easy. I’m not from the United States. Originally, I was born and raised in the country Nigeria and I recently moved to the United States five years ago.
Before I came here, everything in that country was a competition and we took running way too seriously. I have worked with a lot of people and have been running since I started school when I was young. Running for me is like a way to get my mind off things and for the fun of it. I also love running because I feel free and it makes me feel like I can do anything I set my mind on and untouchable. I remember one day that I felt mad at myself because I didn’t win a race, I beat myself up because I lost and came in second place. After that day, I worked so hard and practiced every time so I wouldn’t be second anymore. I’m a trackstar still now and I’ve met some pretty fast people but with time and me all grown up, I realized winning a race doesn’t define everything and it’s okay to come in second place too. After all my hard and extreme practices, I finally became fast and beat the boy that me and when I did, I felt victorious but at the same time I didn’t really feel anything because we were close friends and we should have been working hard and elevating each other up together.
I said all that because we lost touch after elementary school in Nigeria and I loved running because of him pushing me to be good and beter than him. So when I run now, I believe whatever I put my mind into is do-able and achievable and that’s something that I’ll never forget. Running also gets things off my mind a lot because then I am in my zone and I’ve learned a lot from the clarity I get when I am running. The way I take my mind off things is by running and even on days that it’s bad outside, I have a treadmill at home. Running will definitely impact my future because I plan on doing track in college and might also maybe join the military and I know they run a lot there because I’m the commanding officer for JROTC at my high school and we’ve been taught all these and are mentally ready to join for the people only interested in joining. Also like I said before, running will impact my future because I see my path or way more clearly and feel like I can achieve what I put my mind to while running. And I always make sure to remember it’s not always about winning.
