Transformational Mile
Michael Robertson went from a pudgy seventh grader finishing last in the gym class Mile to blasting a second place finish the following year as a bona fide runner. The Mile is indeed all things inspirational and transformational and you may just find your best friends too...
In the seventh grade, I was the last boy to complete the mile in gym class. It was a sad moment for a kid who always played sports but was never thin. In fact my own friends made fun of my weight.
I spent the following summer trying hard to eat right and be active, and came into 8th grade healthier than I had been the year before. That year in the gym class mile I came in 2nd place.
It was the first time I ever considered trying out running as a sport. Those two mile experiences led to my joining the high school cross country team the next year, where I met the men who would eventually be my co-best men at my wedding.
When it came time to run the gym class mile freshman year of high school, I blasted it, not because I wanted to win, and certainly not because it was a good idea (we had XC divisionals that afternoon), but because I could.
That mile showed me how far I had come from the pudgy boy who could barely cover the distance, to the confident young man I had become. Running has given me a great deal throughout my life and I might never have even started if not for the mile. So, please, for the sake of the millions of kids out there looking to be inspired, transformed, and excited, bring back the mile.
Learn more about our 'My Most Memorable Mile' contest and enter to win today!
