Cross country running

When I first joined the cross country team, I did not know much about myself as a runner, let alone the sport itself. I never felt like I completely belonged in anything I did, so I was terrified that I would feel, yet again, like an outcast. During my first practice, all that worry disappeared as I was welcomed with open arms by strangers, who all we had in common was the possible interest in running. My struggle was their struggle and as team, we were in it together. A unique bond of…

Cross country is a worldwide sport that has been around since the early nineteenth century. Many people believe that cross country races simple because unlike other sports, running is something that everyone has the ability to do. The truth to running is actually more mental than it is physical and many people don’t understand that until they are in a race themselves. Here are some steps on how to mentally and physically run a successful cross country race. The first step is to mentally prepare…

blowing as I lace up my trainers. It’s a beautiful fall day in the heart of cross country season. Today is a solo ten mile run. I chuckle as I think of an offhand comment made by my kindergarten teacher about how I could just run forever. I do not take much stock in fate, but it is amusing how prophetic that simple statement has been. I stand up and jog over to the start of the Brecknock Park trail where my cross country team trains. My Garmin watch beeps and I’m off. I do a quick systems check,…

Completing an ultramarathon is a feat for anyone. Everyone thought it would be impossible for a 16 year old girl. So why not? As a varsity cross country runner I am no stranger to running. The contradictory love-hate relationship strains the mind and body like to no other. My junior year cross country began to lose its appeal. The distances, the races, and the running in general had become monotonous. I live by the phrase “To be outstanding- you must become comfortable with being uncomfortable.”…

Putting Their Best Feet Forward In December of 2015, my varsity cross country team traveled to Portland in order to compete in the Nike Cross Nationals. As we stepped to the line on that cold, rainy day, all we could think of was the hard work that we had put in to run in one of the most elite high school races in the country. We ran almost every day from June to December, and there were times where we were so tired, it felt impossible to run another mile. But in Portland, everything was finally…

Ever since I was little and even now, I always had an endearment with sports that involve running, including Track. In middle school when I was in seventh grade, I wanted to participate in Track because I knew I would enjoy the sport. Track started in the spring during seventh grade, and the first couple of practices I thought were challenging and very arduous because of what little practice I had before Track had even started. All the new athletes joining our school track teams were callow and…

same sentence. And this isn’t even your everyday running to the fridge for a snack within the 20-second time span between Netflix episodes. We’re talking a whopping 26.2 miles. So surely everyone who runs this distance without pleading for death must be out of their mind, right? If that is the case then the elite, prestigious cult of marathon runners is clearly insane. But this is a prejudiced, biased opinion based on the human hatred for running. No one really knows about these special…

to shift into triple digits. I couldn't help but smile. The stakes had just been raised. Despite being from the generally frigid state of Michigan, I was fairly certain I knew what overheating felt like before my trip. Having been a dedicated cross country and track runner in high school, I had practiced and raced in triple digit temperatures. Furthermore, having gone to school in…

I would like to go to cross country camp this week to help in actualizing my personal goal of becoming a better runner by being able to improve not just my physical but also my mental toughness and so I can help the Rockford cross country team as much as I can. I have always been active and played sports but I did not take up running until 8th grade when I joined the track team. Since then, I have taken running seriously and have strived to be the best runner I can be. After thoroughly enjoying…

I started run track when I was 8 years of age. At a youthful age I ended up fixated on it. Every day, I was outside, running some place, going to each camp, competition, or amusement accessible. All through my adolescence, Track was my life. My fantasy was to grow up and win the secondary school state title. Fortunately, my fairly residential area had a notoriety state wide to produce top level groups each season. Tragically, this made the opposition to be picked to be on the group significantly…