Running Taught Me to Not Let the Past Define My Future


Tristan Cravello is a Doctors Charter School '17 graduate. He has PR's of 4:43 for the 1600m, 10:22 for the 3200m, and 17:36 for the 5k. Cravello details the life lessons that he has learned in his running career -- lessons that we can take with us in all areas of our lives. 
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Before I became a cross country and track athlete, I had no idea what I wanted to do for the duration of my high school years. Most of my friends from middle school left Doctors Charter School (Miami Shores, FL) when they graduated 8th grade to play high school football and soccer.

As a teenager on the autism spectrum, I thought it wasn't going to be pleasant living life in high school. At first, I only started running as an aerobic cross-training as I was a swimmer and tennis player. Little did I know, people began to see some potential in me based on my endurance and speed.

So, during freshman year, I decided to join the track team. It wasn't easy for me to see what I was capable of so, I started watching rivals from other teams around South Florida. I knew that one day I'd be like them. 

With those dreams on my mind that season, I decided to start running full-time and quit swimming and tennis.

The one thing I didn't expect out of this sport was the lessons running had taught me and how it changed my life. With five years since I hit the ground running, I want to share what running has taught me with these three lessons.

Success Comes From Hard Work and Dedication 
The one thing that Coach Randy Morales always stressed to all of his athletes on the track team was to show up for practice. "If no one shows up, there's the door," he said. The line goes by every day because not only do you get kicked out of practice if you don't show up, but also you also fail yourself if you don't trust the process. Coach Morales coaches all of his athletes from all events (sprinting, distance, jumping, and throwing) by helping us to believe in the process. This included learning your running form, understanding when you rely on your mentality, and enforcing the rules of how to run your best race possible. So, with the experience like this, the workouts and practices taught me that anything is possible if you're willing to work for it.

Don't Let the Past Determine the Future
Out of my running career, I had to endure the good days and the bad days. But sometimes, I also faced the worst of the bad days. It wasn't just me, but also the entire team had to experience it. Sometimes, we had trust issues over who was committed to the team or not. If anyone valuable to us left the team, I would be furious, as I was one of the team captains. We had someone who was on-and-off with the team for two seasons, and he ended up quitting. From that point, I began to think that everyone's chances of being successful were ruined if someone valuable left the team.


Another one of our teammates died by suicide. His name was Jordan Nordelus. Jordan was one of the few who enjoyed the experience of competing in the state finals with the 4x100 relay. It's been almost two years since he died. As my last track season began without him, I thought it was all over for us since we lost someone like him. Then I saw the potential of many boys and girls who joined the team. The more I saw progress in those rookies throughout the season, the more I realized that we couldn't let our past determine our future -- in our season and in our careers.

Running Is Not Just A Sport - It's A Fun Sport
I enjoy running every day. I love it from where I stand -- either here in Florida, in my summer home at France, or wherever I am. Running can take you places that no one has ever gone. You have the freedom to go anywhere you want.

To me, when you're running, you feel free.

That's one thing that has been natural to me, and I keep coming back to it every day because of it. Not just the freedom of going places running gives you, but also the freedom to socialize with rivals from other teams.

The first rival I became friends with was Guilherme Pereira from Divine Savior Academy in Doral. He was one confident runner who runs like Sonic the Hedgehog. He was also a cool and nice guy to be with his teammates and with us. The two of us eventually began to know our other rivals from throughout the region such as Ryan Szklany (Highlands Christian), Patrick Sastre (Westminster Academy), Jack Anderton (South Florida H.E.A.T.), the boys from Key West and Marathon, etc.

The friendships that I built everywhere when I competed reminded me how running is a fun sport as you enjoy it by yourself and with the people that you know and love.

If there was one thing I've learned already, is that life isn't easy if you don't make it meaningful. It doesn't matter if you want to run a sub-5 minute mile or sub-17 5k right now by yourself. What matters is that you need to believe in yourself and trust the process that has been given to you.

Life isn't easy. When you work to make it meaningful, there is always something to be grateful for. As a second-year at Florida State University, I am thankful for being passionate about this sport I get to enjoy every day.

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