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"...exhausting practices not only require you to run, run, and run, to improve, but most importantly, to build on your mental preparation"
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As the dreaded new school year is about to begin, one may think about the sports in which they may want to participate in during the fall. Of course football, and soccer pop right into the picture, but what about the other,
other fall sport? Cross-country incorporates speed, endurance, and mental strength to become one of the most difficult sports ever!
First of all, cross-country requires the runners to speed through 3.1 miles each race( not on the boring track, but instead on carefully measured courses). Then the scores are calculated by the placement of the top 5 members of each team. For example: High School X's top five runners place 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th, while the top five runners of the opposing school come in 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th,and 10th. The score would be Team X (21)- opposing school (34). Note: the school with the lower score wins. For more information and tips click here
With this kind of a scoring system, the runners compete for fastest times to help out the team, and also for personal recognition during the invitationals. Invitationals of course are "big" races in which many schools participate. So, how does one train and practice for this type of vigorous sport in order to place in the invitationals? Here is how my cross-country team prepares:
Each cross-country season begins during the grueling summer. With practices in the park, they have three types of workouts: speed, distance, and hills, each preparing them for different obstacles in which they may face during the different races. Practices usually range from one and a half hours to two hours. These exhausting practices not only require you to run, run, and run, to improve, but most importantly, to build on your mental preparation. For most cross-country runners, fatigue sets in after awhile, and their speed drastically slows down. The people with motivation who are also mentally strong are able to push themselves until the finish line, and that's what separates the GREAT runners from the average runners.
For athletes who do not participate in the fall but want to keep in great shape, why not try out for the cross country team? Who knows? You may do better than you expect and become a cross-country legend. Though local media coverage and school support for cross-country may not rival the intensity of soccer and football, being a superstar at cross-country will bring you cult-like support from teammates. |
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