UC prompt: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there’s a talent or skill that you’re proud of, this is the time to share it. You don’t necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you? Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule?

 
Running is an activity that most people dread, and it's even used as a form of punishment. But ever since I started soccer at age eight, I knew I had a great talent for it. I might not have been the best ball handler or the most consistent scorer, but I was always the fastest.
 
I guess you can say that the talent (and desire) might have been passed down. My dad ran cross country and distance track in high school and even got to run a bit for UCLA. When I was starting my freshman year, I remember him telling me all these stories about running against some of the fastest people in the state. I became hooked and knew this was something I could be great at.
 
By my sophomore year I was good enough to be on the varsity team, and that's when my love for the sport really took off. One of my favorite memories was traveling to Portland with my team to race. What I remember about the actual race is mostly being in pain throughout the entire three miles because of a calf strain but I managed to persevere and ran through the burning. I ended up doing well in the race but more importantly, my team ended up coming in first place out of 39 teams.
 
One of the challenges I love about running is the constant battle between the body and mind. I learned that running is not just about how fast you are, it's also about how much your mind can push your body to be better. But the best thing about running for me has been the people. I've met some of my best friends on the cross country team, and I know we'll stay close even after high school.
 
I know running is a talent that comes naturally to me, but I don't take it for granted. I put in the time and effort every day to continue to become better faster. No matter what happens in the future, running will always be a part of my life