cross country through the eyes of someone who does not enjoy running.

Cross country is a physically, mentally, and emotionally-demanding sport. Before I began my personal journey running cross country, I would have never seen myself as a runner. For that matter, I would have never imagined that in a million years I would be a part of a sport that is dedicated to running, and running only. Sometimes it is still hard to believe that somehow I was able to overcome the challenges of a running sport. The thing is that cross country is significantly more than just running to me. Cross country has provided me with a team, a family, and a home. 

I first discovered cross country the summer prior to my freshman year of high school. The end of summer was approaching, and my softball season had just ended so I had an excessive amount of free time on my hands. My best friend suggested that I attend a summer running practice. I laughed at the idea because it was such an improbable idea for me to go on a run. I despised the act of running, I always had -- and still do. The concept of me going to a running practice was so unrealistic. It was such a far-fetched idea, that I decided I was going to do it. The next practice was at eight in the morning the following day. I showed up a little late and joined in on the run right as everyone sprinted down the street. I didn’t even make it half a mile. I was drenched in my own sweat, hyperventilating, and was already walking. I continued to drag one foot in front of of the other having to tell myself to go forward every step. No one noticed how much I was struggling because I was already behind everyone who to me seemed as if they could run forever. I continued to walk though; I couldn’t merely turn around and go back to school while waiting for everyone to get back. People were already managing their way back to school, rushing in my direction. One of the upcoming seniors paused her run to ask me if I was okay, as I was visibly suffering. She walked back to school with me and encouraged me to persevere and assisted me with catching my breath to breathe regularly again. She would encourage me to run even if it was just a little bit fairer, but my body and mind just refused. I attended one more summer run, during that run I got lost and wasn't able to figure out how to get back to school. After what seemed like hours, my future coach drove by looking for me. She picked me up and drove me back to school in her car. Well, I presumed that was the end of my relationship with running, I never intended on returning to any practices ever again, cross country just didn’t seem to be my forte. 

It was nearly a week or two before summer practices came to an end and real practices began. I had completely abandoned the idea of joining the cross country team. That is until I bumped into one of my future teammates at Walgreens. She asked me why I hadn’t been coming to summer practices in the mornings and then asked me if I was still going to join the team. That’s the moment I determined I was undoubtedly going to run cross country. Now you see this is a vital decision for me because when I begin something I refuse to quit. When I shared with more of my friends and my family that I would be joining the cross country team, everyone took it as sort of a joke. I mean I can see why. I’m just not the type of person who enjoys running. Even now after running for the entirety of high school, I can still say running is not something I take too much pleasure in. When real practices started I was constantly sore, I invariably was one of the last people to finish each practice, and I would almost always walk nearly half of the distance of our runs. I was persistently doubting myself and my athletic abilities. 

One of the of the earliest and most influential things that cross country had taught me was that I am my worst enemy in anything and everything that I do. If you don’t believe in yourself, then there is no way that you are ever going to accomplish anything near your potential. That goes for more than just running, it goes for everything in life. Little by little I learned that when I would doubt myself, and that when I would be telling myself that I’m not a great runner, that my brain would take that idea and make it true. On the days that you think positively and have a positive viewpoint on what you are doing, you are more likely than not to be more successful compared to if you had a negative outlook. I craved the idea of quitting every single day, the physical demand was tearing me apart. Something inside me just wouldn’t let me quit. The first race approached, and I wasn’t nervous or scared. I was just dreading it. I completed the race, it was a major struggle. The sun was scorching hot, there were countless girls running, and quite frankly I didn’t want to be there. When I finished I didn’t get that enchanting feeling that people talk about when they are done racing. I felt horrendous, I felt my body aching, and I felt as if I was never going to be able to breathe again. Slowly but surely those intense feelings at the end of the races started to become less intense. No matter what my body felt, my mind always had a sense of accomplishment, and that is what made running worth it. 

It wasn't the physical and mental difficulties that made cross country so important to me. It was the memories that I formed, and the friends that I met. The cross country team was the first group that I have been a part of that has had a genuine team feeling. There wasn't any drama, everyone enjoyed spending time with each other, and everyone treated each other as if everyone on the team was their family. I never once felt judged by the more experienced kids, or by the superior runners. We were all equals. The bonding that took place before, during, and after practices produced the love and passion that I have for cross country. We would have team dinners and parties where we would devour feasts made by families and eat our hearts out. We would solve riddles with each other, play violent games of red rover, create and share secrets, and shape bonds that will last eternally.

Despite the challenges, I was not a quitter. If I start I will finish. I've been driven farther than I had ever been before. I developed mentally, physically, and emotionally through my participation in the sport and strongly suggest to everyone to join cross country. I have now completed my senior year of cross country and running all four years of high school. I can now run the whole distance of a race and do not despise running nearly as much as I used too. Joining the team, forming memories, learning lessons, and growing together to become a family with my team has made cross country by far the most beneficial and incredible experience I have ever gone through.

- Anonymous