Cross country has both mental and physical benefits if your heart is in it. People who do not run do not realize how hard cross country practices and races really are. Even the most in shape high school boy would find the long runs and insane workouts extremely difficult.

“Cross country is 80 percent mental. It’s the ability to tell yourself to go faster up the hill rather than listening to your body and slowing down; it’s the mental ability to be able to sprint your hardest after running those three miles.” (Hermann)

During a race or mileage run the majority of the time the runner cannot see the finish line. There is no end in site, yet you have to push yourself as hard as you possibly can the whole time. By the end of the run, the runner is accomplished no matter the distance.

“Cross country involves running up, down, and through many different types of terrain such as grass, gravel, mud, sand, and concrete.” (Cross Country Facts)

“You can become a better runner by spending time in the gym. You can build strength, power, and endurance by weight lifting.” (Cross Country) A study done by Runner’s World states weight lifting increases a runner’s performance by 13 percent.

During cross country workouts each runner is expected to run up and down, around and around pushing themselves to their limit each set and not giving up. The practice finished, we leave exhausted.

Drinking water empowers runners when they are exhausted from the race. During workouts runners are seldomly allowed to drink any, and during mileage runs and races there is none. This is what sets runners apart from other athletes.

A course map. Each team is given one with 30 minutes to prepare for the race. There are many obstacles during a race that makes it difficult: hills, which are hard on the legs; straight stretches, which are hard on the mind; and the distance which is hard on the whole body.

During a race, each competitor follows a single white line throughout the whole race. No other boundaries exist and at times there is no one else watching. There is cutting, pushing, and elbowing (cross country is supposedly a non-contact sport) and even though it hurts and is unfair you have to keep going.

“With brutal hills, sharp changes in direction and surfaces ranging from soft grass to deep mud, it’s a test not only of fitness, but also of guts.” (Cross Country Running)

When the gun goes off signaling the beginning of the race everything changes. Your attitude becomes competitive, adrenaline surges through your body, and nothing else matters.

“No time outs. No substitutions. No different specialized positions. Everyone does the same thing at the same time. You can not just happen to win a race. You need to work hard, be smart, and push yourself.” (Tiefenthaler)

Each cross country race is different. A different course, different terrain, different competitors, and different conditions. Sprinting, jogging, jumping, wheezing, and thinking are all parts of every single race.

Finishing a race is one of the best feelings in the world for a cross country runner, an instant “runners high”. Knowing that you gave everything you had for those minutes provides one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment there is.

As with any sport, teammates are extremely important, but with cross country there is a different kind of bond. Your team is the people there to talk to during the outrageously long runs, they offer encouragement throughout the grueling workouts, and they are the ones holding up as you collapse after a vigorous race.

Lined up at the starting line with 400 other girls. As the gun went off, complete chaos broke out. I was pushed and fell onto another girl’s spike. With blood gushing out of the ankle I stood up, continued running, and finished the race. This event showed me how tough cross country really is and how tough I can be.

There is no break from running for good cross country runners. How you train in the “off season” determines how good (or bad) you are during the season. The more a competitor runs, the less difficult the practices are.

Cross country is unforgiving. Practices and races are held (and each runner is expected to be there) whether it is snowing or over a hundred degrees.

Shoes. The only thing a runner truly needs, along with motivation and ambition. These shoes signify my past six cross country seasons.

Because cross country is the hardest sport, it is also one of the most rewarding. Cross country provides the greatest feeling of accomplishment at the end of each practice, race, and season and great recognition for each of those accomplishments.