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STEELE SPORTS

Carnage of cross-country
By
Johnnie Phillips, Sports Editor
Johnnie Phillips, editor, sports, Steele County Times

One sport that has captured my attention recently after having spent a lot more time than usual around it is cross-country.

Being the action sports fan that I am, cross-country has always earned my respect – largely in part to my horrible cardio and inability to train my mind to enjoy running – but I've never truly invested the necessary time to understand all that goes into a cross-country race.

On the surface, cross-country just looks like a lot of running.

One may just unknowingly assume that the kid who wins the race will just be the one in the best shape.

This was my inaccurate assumption before speaking with Owatonna senior Trevor Hiatt and seeing first-hand the chaos that ensues both during a race and immediately afterward.

What I was able to learn from talking with Hiatt is that the mentality required to be a successful runner is more than just committing to a race and the trials that come with it, but also accepting that the finish line may not be the end of the journey.

In fact, from having watched many a race this past year or so, I’m almost inclined to believe that what happens after the finish line is worse than the race itself.

Immediately after crossing that line, athletes begin to hunch over and – in some cases – collapse on the spot due to extreme exhaustion.

Hiatt said it best during a post-race interview that we did last week: The last leg of the race is going to be tough both mentally and physically – but that’s just how it is for most everyone.

I’ve seen athletes cry tears of both joy and pain, as well as parents rush to meet their kids as soon as they cross just to hold them upright and give them encouragement.

I’ve been tired after a football game before, but after having watched what these athletes endure almost weekly throughout the fall, I’m not sure I could ever claim to be that tired.

While cross-country doesn’t demand a physical sacrifice such as laying down a block in football or taking a baseball to the side to secure a baserunner, what it does require is a strong will to knowingly subject oneself to the horrors that come after the race.

Race day is a day for excitement and nervous butterflies, but it’s also a measuring stick for how much all of the hard work in training is paying off.

Thankfully for the athletes, however, training and races are not a time to feel alone.

Cross-country is a team sport and requires all members to sacrifice for one another in order to see the best results.

This component of the sport is what makes it special for the runners who compete.

Much like wrestling, competition may seem lonely in the moment, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting through all of the pain and exhaustion to ensure that your team’s hard work does not go to waste.

Cross-country runners, you have my respect, but you sure won’t see my joining in on any races anytime soon!

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