As a part of a division 1 college cross country team, I am true thankful for the opportunity that others could only wish for... Unfortunately, theres always a dark side to everything that happens in my life. As a freshman, I ran terribly. I was nervous, scared, and always depressed. I was varsity but with terrible times. I grew and matured as most college kids do and by my sophomore year I was leading the team. I consistently ran in the low 19s and led the team with an iron will to win. The down side is that my coach despises me because I am not the type of athlete who sucks up or lays at someones feet. His favorite runner is the 3rd runner on the team and is of course one of the captains. He stated to my face that I run too fast and I am not a team player. Now as a junior I am running with a healed torn hamstring and trying to make my way into the mid 18s. It's extremely hard to belong to a school, team, and coach that refuses to support my decision to get faster, and in return he refuses to help me get into the 18s. I've been doing this on my own.