Cross country, specifically at Pentucket, is known to be the least popular sport both to watch and play. With the number of kids participating declining over the past few years, it’s not like any other sport with a stadium full of cheering fans, and music blasting over the crowd.
Instead, imagine a group of parents standing around in the middle of a random field waiting to see their kids run by.
However, to an athlete, it all looks so different. They see the stress everyone else is feeling; the stress in their coaches, teammates, competition, and themselves.
The athletes see the camaraderie among the team and the support they show one another.
They see the thought the coaches put in the weeks before. Everything from the pre-season to whenever the race is has been with a specific intention and effort put in by the coaches.
Looking around at a meet, whether it be before or after a race, there is always so much to take in for a runner.
When asked what a cross country meet looks like to her, former cross country runner and senior Cece Cammett said, “Our dual meets were always smaller and not as exciting or fun, but the stress and support of the team was always there. But the invitationals are full of loud music, and dozens of other teams from all over the state ready to run bringing the sport to life, but at times, at least for me even though it was exciting, I was even more nervous.”
It isn’t only looking at a race that feels different for the athlete, but the race itself.
Junior Owen McDonald said, “Everyone is lined up on the start line, and when the gun goes off we all sprint to try to get to the front of the pack, persevering through each mile just trying to move up and pass the other team. It all happens so fast.”
The sport is not easy by any means but, those who are lucky enough to have stumbled upon cross country know it is a lot more than running around an empty field. It takes mental discipline and a strong work ethic to do, regardless of your skill level.
Cammett believes despite the struggle in running, cross country is worth doing because, “It gives you a sense of commitment and pride in yourself knowing you finished a hard race that a lot of people wouldn’t be able to do.”
McDonald agreed with this saying, “It is never easy. But everyone is going through the same thing. We all go up the same hill, do the same workout, and go through the same struggle in a race.” He went on to say: “Cross country is worth doing, it isn’t like the other sports where everyone has a different position, we all understand everyone else’s experience a lot more.”
However, although everyone goes through the same thing it doesn’t make the hard part, the actual race, any easier.
One cross country runner said, “In a race, you feel awful, your arms hurt, your legs are dead, you feel like you’re going to puke, and you can’t breathe.” He goes on to explain that the feelings at the end of a race are miserable and nobody should ever feel like that.
McDonald agreed with this, saying “After my race, I feel sick and my entire body hurts, my legs shut down and I fall to the ground. My body shakes for hours after the race, even once I’m sitting. Once I get my strength back I feel relieved and happy and proud of my accomplishment.”
Cross country runners know the struggle going on between the 3.1 miles. There’s a mental battle of getting up a hill or pushing through the next half mile. You have pains in your legs, your lungs burn, and your throat is dry. All you want to do is stop and walk.
Your mind is telling you it won’t matter. It’s only a few seconds, nobody will notice, take a break. But anyone in the sport knows those few seconds only hurt you more, and make running that much worse. Cross country might be physically daunting, but the mental aspect of it is much harder than you’d expect
When talking about how she feels about her athletes’ performance after a race, Assistant Coach Haley Hamilton said, “As long as they try their best every day and have a positive and growth mindset I’m proud of them.” Our coaches aren’t expecting perfection from us just knowing we are working hard and feel pride in our performances.
Cross country isn’t an easy sport by any means, but it is one of the most rewarding. You feel a sense of pride in knowing you finished a race, even if it wasn’t your best time or close to it.
So that brings us back to the question; what is cross country? Well, it’s a sport of running through different terrain. But those who know it well know the support, discipline, and pride that comes with being a runner. The sport itself is one of the most challenging, but the miles run in a race are a small price to pay for the result that any current or former runner appreciates.
