Have you ever felt like you’re on cloud nine? Have you ever felt so energized that you can take on everyone and everything? If you haven’t already, then you definitely will after playing Cross-country. I myself feel like this every time I train or compete for cross country. If you don’t know what cross country is, it is similar to the sport track and field, in the sense that they both include running, but the actual Cross-country races are different and exceedingly more difficult. Cross-country races are long distances, usually two to three miles, with an abundance of people racing at a time. Practices can be even more demanding with six-mile runs and abdominal workouts (but since I already have a 16-pack they’re no problem for me). Cross-country is also inclusive. No matter what ethnicity, gender, or race a person is, everyone is accepted. It can be difficult to get into cross country due to the fact of the seemingly never ending muscle soreness and cramps after every practice, but after the first three weeks, cross country becomes something to look forward to rather than dreading.
There are many reasons why someone would join and potentially fall in love with cross country like I have, but the reason I got roped in was the running aspect. The breathless glee that I get when I run is exhilarating and it makes me feel alive which is why I feel so passionate about cross country and why it’s so lively. There are other reasons for people to get into cross country though. One reason cross country and running are enjoyable is because it allows your mind to focus on something other than the daily struggle of demanding assignments and gives your mind a sense of well-being from stressful days. Cross country could also help anyone make new social connections with people that they share at least one similarity with, which is finding joy in running.
I myself am a real world example of these beneficial components of cross country. I used to be extremely introverted, but once I joined cross country, I was able to talk and make new friends through the common ground of hating the demanding practices. I took this life lesson and ran with it. Now when I meet new people I make an attempt to get to know them and search for anything that I can relate with them and sprout new friendships. I would also feel an abundance of stress from the continuous homework and the deadlines that came with it, but Cross country also helped with that by putting my mind at ease by giving me an outlet to release all of the stress off of my tiresome shoulders. These experiences also exemplify a key component of not only cross country but every extracurricular, and that is experiencing and learning valuable life lessons. There are numerous life lessons that can be learned from cross country and those lessons can be used in a majority of everyday life like never give up and give one hundred percent in everything you do.
Cross country is an empowering and enjoyable sport that can be laborious at times but the life lessons and experiences that people take with them after cross country are ever-lasting. I hope that each and every one of you reading this blog post try cross country and running to see for yourself why it’s so magnificent.
Jorge Covarrubias
Saint Ignatius College Prep – DMSF Class of 2026
Photo by Leah Hetteberg on Unsplash