If you tell the average person what being a cross country runner entails, they most often think you’re out of your mind. The thought of willingly getting on a race line and pushing your body to its physical limits nauseates most people, and to be honest, sometimes it nauseates me too. But for some reason, we continue to get on another race line. Why is that?
I think at some point in their running career, each person asks themselves this question. It’s fairly common to get so deep into the sport of running to lose sight of the bigger picture. It’s easy to get too caught up in cutting time and winning titles to remember why we chose this sport in the first place. We may lose sight of the reasons that we fell in love with running, and this may often be the culprit behind a sudden bump in our running career.
But, as easy as it is to lose sight of these reasons, I think it is equally as easy to be reminded of them. Everyone has different moments which bring them back to the real reason they continue to run. For me, it’s the feeling at the end of a race when I cross the line and, no matter the time, to know I accomplished something most people could never bring themselves to do. I love the feeling of fatigue the day after a really hard workout or race. That sore feeling, to me, is a sign that my body is getting stronger, and that there is something bigger in store. I run, mainly because it centers me, it’s an outlet, and a way for me to ground myself after a tough day, to celebrate after a good day, and to share any day with people who have the same love for running as I do.
This cross country season, I added “for my team” to the list of reasons I run. I never had the team aspect of running until I joined cross country and now that I have it, I don’t know how I ever could have survived this season as an individual. The team aspect of running is, I believe, one of the only reasons that so many girls are able to cross the finish line of a cross country race. If cross country was purely an individual sport, when your body was beyond exhausted and it wasn’t your day, you would just drop out. Individually, it would be the easiest thing to do. But the “for my team” aspect of running is the reason that you push through extreme pain and mental walls in order to get to the finish line. It’s that thought in the back of your mind that you are running for something bigger than yourself that keeps your legs moving up the bowl when your better judgement tells you to stop.
Every runner has reasons that they run. I think it is really important to always take a step back and remember the reasons you love to run. Remembering these reasons is what allows some of the best runners I know to stay grounded even after a great race and to stay upbeat after a tough one.
I am so grateful that you all encouraged me to run cross country this fall. I am a much better runner, both mentally and physically, because of this team and I thank you for that. But most importantly, I have made some amazing new friends, reconnected with some old ones, and become closer with each one of you during an amazing season I will never forget.
