Sai Satvik: Lake Station tutor

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One-two, one-two. My legs are moving in perfect cadence. I'm on mile one of my long run. It's the crack of dawn; I can see the sunrise. There aren't that many cars on the road. A cool breeze is blowing in my face. Nature forms an invisible bubble around me in which I can simmer in all my thoughts. I have beats playing, but it's just background music; I don't need it today. My thoughts are enough to keep me occupied as I run.
Mile One: 7:45
Seeing that time, I remember when I first began running. I ran a thirteen-minute mile that felt like a sprint! The beginning sucked; every run came with excruciating pain. My legs turned to jelly, my lungs burned, and my heart felt like it would explode. My desire to improve at something that didn't come naturally kept me going. I wasn't an athlete, but I sure wanted to be one.
Eventually, I ran my first 5k, my first mile in under nine minutes, and my first 10k. These milestones made me want to run more because they made me see what I could accomplish. They proved that early mornings, sore legs, and burning lungs were worth it.
As I continued to run, my legs didn't turn to jelly, my lungs cooled, and my heart rate lowered. Curious, I took some time to understand why this was happening. It was like opening the door to Narnia; a new world awaited.
Running became my first research project. Through my research, I discovered how the heart adapts to grow larger, stronger, and more efficient with consistent training. My heart rate had decreased because my heart's stroke volume had increased, allowing it to deliver blood and oxygen to my muscles with less effort. I had built an aerobic base, allowing me to run longer at lower heart rates and preventing my legs from turning to jelly because cellular respiration doesn't produce lactic acid when the heart is in the aerobic zone.
Running science enthralled me because I was experiencing it firsthand. My body's extraordinary abilities had taken me from barely completing a mile to running a 10k distance every other day. I had evolved, like a Pokemon, with new abilities taking me farther with each run.
I discovered new types of runs through my research: speed runs, tempo runs, and long runs. Each run adapts the body in specific ways. Speed runs work fast-twitch muscle fibers, helping the runner attain faster paces. Tempo runs develop the ability to run at the aerobic threshold, the "7/10" intensity. Long runs develop aerobic capacity, build slow-twitch muscle fibers, and mitochondria in the cells. When I used these runs, I shattered my 10k record and ran my first nine and ten milers.
Researching the science of running made me realize how scientific athletics are. Now, when I watch Steph Curry sinking threes, or Eliud Kipchoge running the marathon in two hours, I don't just think, "Wow, these guys are so talented." I also understand how my idols have dedicated themselves to perfecting their craft, teaching their bodies to adapt and grow to reach their level. Steph spends hours on the court, teaching his muscles to fire correctly so he can splash threes in the clutch. Eliud runs 136 miles weekly, building his aerobic power so he can tackle the world's toughest marathons. Despite their accomplishments, they still train for more because their ultimate competitors are their own bodies, to see how far they can push their limits.
In my future, I want to explore the body's superpower to evolve under stress, both on the road and inside the classroom. Running has shown me what I'm capable of, and as a physician, I aspire to study and protect that superpower. As I continue my run, I smile, excited about where I'll go and the barriers I now know I can topple.