Zee Speed has gotten me in shape, and the change…has been more than physical…

August 15, 2009.

         This has been a landmark summer for me, thanks to Zee Speed.  I signed 
up for the program, not entirely sure what I was in for.  Knowing it was a youth 
endurance program, I figured I would stay in shape by taking part.  Instead, Zee 
Speed has gotten me in shape, and the change it has caused has been more than 
physical.

I realized just how lucky I was to be part of Zee Speed really quickly.  Early 
every morning, I felt fortunate to be surrounded by the most motivated athletes 
in the area, and the caring coaches who are willing to get these athletes to the 
next level.  Everyone was so happy to be at camp and work their hardest, and 
that sort of motivation is extremely contagious.  What I learned this summer, 
though, is that that motivation comes from several places.  It comes from the 
coaches, like Albert, who will you to be "mentally tough" and always play like 
you're in the "first quarter," as if you could keep going and going like the 
Energizer Bunny. It comes from watching the other kids, younger and older than 
me, all working their hardest everyday. It comes from the sense of family that 
Zee Speed creates; you don't want to let your family down, so you do your best 
to make them proud.  Most importantly, I believe, motivation comes from within.

Zee Speed is entirely voluntary, and the people there are there because they 
choose to be. We run stairs because we want to, we do push ups because  we want 
to. While the coaches are encouraging, in the end, I found I had to wake up 
every morning not for anyone but myself. Some mornings, it would have been 
easier to lay in bed than to go work out. Nights when I went to bed later, I 
often considered how easy it would be to just skip Zee Speed, but as the program 
went on, I found that I was growing accountable to myself. Also, I was having so 
much fun everyday at Zee Speed, I didn't want to miss it. Even though I'm 
training for track & field, a spring sport, I wanted to be in shape now. Zee 
Speed breeds this sort of desire in everyone it touches. The only downside to 
the program is that it ever ends. I'm already looking forward to next summer, 
when I plan to take part in Zee Speed again.

Thank you, Zach, for all you do!
Emma Raisl

Graduate, Stadium HS
Going to the University of Puget Sound, training for Track & Field (heptahlon!)