Personal Essay: On “The Force Awakens”, generational storytelling and movie magic

December 15, 2021 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

This personal essay was my final assignment for my storytelling structures journalism class at Northwestern University this fall. The prompt was simple -- describe one distinct moment in your life. Enjoy! On the evening of December 17, 2015, there was only one place for a Star Wars fan to be — the movie theater. The … Continue reading Personal Essay: On “The Force Awakens”, generational storytelling and movie magic

Fight Till The Finish: My Experience Running the 2021 Chicago Marathon

December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 ~ jrike10 ~ 1 Comment

Last spring, I penned a reported personal essay about my experience training for the Chicago Marathon, from the moment I got the fateful acceptance email to the end of my training in June. Plenty has happened since then — not least of which, the marathon itself — and it’s about time for an update. My … Continue reading Fight Till The Finish: My Experience Running the 2021 Chicago Marathon

Oral History: Behind the Scenes of Braintrust Productions

July 19, 2019 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

Nicky G. Bum Squad. Oh We Rollin. The following article is an oral history of the Braintrust Productions (a.k.a. Wootton XC videos) and their impact on all those involved over the memorable span of three years and six films. Each section (with the exception of the conclusion) contains a YouTube link to the corresponding video. … Continue reading Oral History: Behind the Scenes of Braintrust Productions

Organized Chaos: My Wild College Application Experience in 12 Stages

June 9, 2019 ~ jrike10 ~ 2 Comments

In most stories, there is a pit so deep that the protagonist of the story sees all hope as being lost. My college process was no different. And on one February evening, I had reached the exact point that I made it my goal to avoid. Yet there I was, late at night, on the … Continue reading Organized Chaos: My Wild College Application Experience in 12 Stages

Excerpt: A fight to the finish

November 3, 2018 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

The following is the story of my county championship race my junior year, which also stands as my current 5K personal record and possibly the best tactical race of my career. Counties gave us a perfect opportunity to make a statement. We were total underdogs, as all of the media outlets covering our county as … Continue reading Excerpt: A fight to the finish

Excerpt: States or bust

May 19, 2018 ~ jrike10 ~ 2 Comments

The following is the story of my regionals 1600 race, the first time I qualified for the state track championships. My next focus was on preparing for regionals, where I could punch my first-ever ticket to states. The meet was spread over two days at Quince Orchard High School, but the mixed results from … Continue reading Excerpt: States or bust

Excerpt: County Champs!

October 16, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

The following is an excerpt from a memoir I wrote about my freshman cross country season. In honor of counties coming up this Saturday, I wanted to revisit one of my favorite and proudest moments I've had as a runner. Over a week later, it was onto the county meet. The Wootton boys were viewed … Continue reading Excerpt: County Champs!

Memoir: My First Experience at States

November 8, 2016 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

On my calendar, there is one week that carries an unmistakable stench- the second weekend in November. Some of my most vivid, memorable experiences as a teenager have all come in the same week. In both seventh and eighth grade, it was the week that I’d been cut from the basketball team. Getting cut was … Continue reading Memoir: My First Experience at States

Excerpt: Track and Trail, My Welcome-to-the-Big-Leagues Race

September 15, 2016 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

This excerpt is taken from my memoir about my freshman cross country season and is about my first invitational meet, the Track'n'Trail Invitational. Though it was technically the second race I ran in, this was the one that gave me the welcome-to-the-big -leagues moment. Being in the top ten for Wootton opened another door later … Continue reading Excerpt: Track and Trail, My Welcome-to-the-Big-Leagues Race