Why Cross Country?

Why cross country?

Recently, a neighbor with younger kids was asking me about my daughter's cross-country experience. I had just returned from driving 90 minutes to a meet and 90 minutes home basically to watch a 20-minute race where I only saw my daughter four times. "Was it worth it?" she asked. "Worth it?" I responded. So, I thought about it and told her some things that happen during cross-country meets.

+ First, there's the anticipation of the start. Imagine the scene in Braveheart when the hundreds of Scotsman line up and then run as fast as they can over the grassy knolls. It's kind of like that but without the tartan skirts. Hearing the gun and watching those kids take off gets me every single time.

+ Then the running starts. Not the athletes but the parents and spectators. You will run across fields and over hills and through mud to catch a glimpse of your child as they push themselves through the course. You'll cheer for their teammates and everyone else's kid that runs by because that is just what you do. When they pass, you'll watch them for a brief second and then run to the next spot so you can see them at another area on the course before racing to the finish line. You can easily close your exercise ring and achieve your step goal on a XC course, especially if it has hills.

+ You will see personal bests every single time. It may be your runner who has worked so hard during a tough season and finally hit their goal. Or, it may be a young man or woman who broke a long-standing course record. But the best--and the one that will put a lump in your throat--is watching the kid who completed their first race or finished despite a debilitating cramp or ran under 30 minutes for the first time ever. Those celebrations are the ones you'll take with you.

+ You will see so much joy. In a sports world dominated by club athletics, cross country is a no-cut sport that celebrates personal achievements. Your kid will get to run and participate, whether they are on varsity or running in the open. That means the parents can relax and cheer for their kids (and others) without the pressure of worrying about playing time or a coach's perceived favoritism. It changes the entire dynamic of the sidelines.

+You will see moments of sportsmanship that will give you hope for humanity. Like the five young men who after running 3 miles at breakneck speed will run an extra 1/2 of a mile of the course with their teammate to help get him to the end of the race. Or, the three young girls who are walking back to their tent but stop to encourage an athlete from another school to keep pushing herself. Or the runner who lost a shoe during the race and keeps going for another two miles, and then you see the team carrying her to the bus because her feet are so sore.

+ You'll be awe-struck at the dedication of these kids. I thought they just worked out and then ran their three miles Saturday morning. Nope. Quite often, they arrive at school at an ungodly hour like 6 a.m. Then, the coach may have them run a quick mile in the dark before getting on the school bus to travel. Once there, they start warming up, which includes another few miles. Then, they race and should want to take a nap, but nope. They then need to cool down, so they do another mile or two to help their muscles do something scientific. After that, they often run around cheering on their teammates, and then they have to break down their tent and carry stuff back to the buses. They usually don't get home until late in the afternoon, at which point they may need to start thinking about homework or their jobs or volunteering or chores. And they get it all done.

Sure, you see some unsavory stuff too. Sometimes XC runners throw up at the end of their race and the Porta-Potties are pretty gross, but is it worth it?

I wouldn't miss it for the world.

It's the best part of my week.

And those smiles at the end of the race? It's worth every single mile.