Everyone knows fall isn’t the greatest season because of apple picking and pumpkins and Halloween. It’s such a fantastic time of year because it’s filled with fall marathons, road races, and cross country season.
Or in my case, nostalgia about cross country season every time I walk out the door.
I am lucky enough to think back fondly to my high school years thanks to that sport. It gave me everything: My friends, my future husband, my confidence, my achievements. I willingly gave up my only day to sleep in so I could wake up at 6 and headed out to some freezing cold field to run 3.1 brutal miles as fast as possible.
There is nothing quite like high school cross country. It’s incredibly honest because the clock never lies. Talent can get a team far, but it takes hard work to make them unstoppable. Since success in running requires your heart and soul, cross-country is so much more than a sport. It’s a lifestyle and a mentality you can take with you throughout all areas of your life.
I truly believe that if cross country has ever captured your heart, you can’t unlearn the lessons it taught you. You’ll never forget the teammates that helped shape you. You’ll find yourself chasing that feeling of crossing finish lines with nothing left to give your entire life.
I’ve seen some of the most remarkable things regarding the human spirit during that sport. I’ve learned to celebrate with others even though my own race didn’t live up to expectations. I’ve learned to push others through runs and accept encouragement from strangers in return. I’ve seen people with bloody knees and grass stains powering through the second mile. I’ve seen incredible determination to reach a goal that completely mystifies the majority of the population. I’ve seen breakdowns where individuals never recover and others that come out the other side stronger. I’ve seen the most intimidating and vulnerable stages of a person all in less than 30 minutes.
High school expects so much out of people and their futures. It’s all about what you will accomplish if you get the grades. It’s about saving money by working some crappy job so you can pay to go to college and really feel like you made it one day. High school doesn’t put emphasis on finding who you are, but working and stressing over who you might become.
And this is why this sport saved me. You find yourself in those daily runs. Running doesn’t care about who you may become or what anyone’s expectations are for you. It only asks that you give it everything you have. Nothing more, nothing less. And by doing that, you feel like enough.
It’s hard to put into words what cross country means to me. I tried in my 40-minute long senior farewell speech and ended up just dissolving into tears in front of everyone. Just do what you can not to underestimate the lessons this sport can teach you. Not everyone has the guts to join a sport like this. It’s challenging, heartbreaking, and far from glamorous. But I think we can all agree we are better people because of it.
