When the average student thinks of running, one thing may come to mind: that’s right, the dreaded mile. Those one to two days of PE that absolutely nobody was eager to complete. What could only be described as hours of running around tirelessly in a circle and occasionally stopping to avoid passing out is an activity that is not objectively viewed as “fun.”
Physically exerting yourself beyond your body’s limits? Who could enjoy that?
Well, multiple people—myself included—have developed a possibly slightly frightening love for the chore. In fact, instead of running one benchmark mile as practiced in younger grades, this rare breed of athletes will spend over an hour repeating the trauma-inducing act, sometimes running seven miles in one go. Despite the “pride” I have already exhibited while writing about my sport, this short article aims to stimulate excitement when it comes to running, and maybe even inspire an interest in track as a sport or hobby.
Running can be an extremely intimidating activity at first, and to feel so would be a completely valid perspective. For example, before I started track, I was the average Mountain Lakes athlete, participating in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. (Lacrosse being a sport with a religious, almost cult-like following that could be compared to running in regards to its devotees). Anyways, the first time I was “recruited” to run, I was not an impressive runner by any means; I could run at best around eight minutes for a mile in school, and that was the extent of my running background. Initially I had feared the idea of running, but after cross country and spring track season, I learned something valuable. Although I have become an able runner in the sport of track, there are other values that I feel are important reasons to take up the sport.
Community
To begin, after participating in cross country and track year-round for almost two years in high school, I feel that running attracts some of the best people. It helps that some of my best friends also happen to be runners, but having friends who are there in the journey alongside me is an incredible experience. Even if you aren’t the best athlete, it doesn’t matter—simply running with your friends, having something to look forward to after school, and even competing with one another can be a healthy escape from stress that comes with academics.
Running as a freshman was a great way to kickstart my social life at Mountain Lakes. The upperclassman that I was able to watch and practice alongside were and still are some of the biggest inspirations to me. Track has allowed me to befriend some really kind people, helping me develop connections in high school but also creating a safe and enjoyable environment with many supportive friends.
Will to Improve
Towards the end of the spring track season last year, the competitiveness of the sport began to reveal itself. As I observed my gradual improvement, a desire to work harder and harder grew within me. Currently, I have come to the realization that in order to not dwell on losing progress physically, all I need to do is run. The harder I work in practice and the more I train, the better I will become. I have found that in order to mitigate stress that may come when participating in any sport, practice is key. And making practice fun is the best way to keep the sport fun. With running especially, it is important to always find fun in the activity, whether it be by running with your friends, going on scenic runs, or striding on beat with some music, enjoying running is just as important as competing.
For example, over the summer, I found that I had somewhat lost my passion to run. This stemmed from a growing feeling of anxiety and sadness of my lack of desire to practice on my own, and the hopelessness that came as a result of falling behind in speed and consistency. In order to combat this, I now use a method of channeling frustration back into running, using it as an outlet in order to run harder and faster. I find that even if I’m having a rough day, and want to be mad after school, I emotionally can’t as running releases all my anger and frustration, allowing me to clear my head. To prevent getting bored of the sport in the future, I realized that even if it’s a small amount, running at least once a day is still progress; that makes me feel happy with myself. The only way to get better is to continue to practice, and personally that will to compete and improve is a feeling that keeps drawing me back to running.
Running is a passion of mine, and I am always happy to share my passion with others. In fact, sometimes I feel like I enjoy cheering my teammates on and watching them succeed more than my own progress and races. The unspoken teamwork aspect of track is so important to the defining environment that makes the sport feel so welcoming and exciting. While running, having your friends yelling at you from the side is so encouraging, and it gives you motivation achieved nowhere else. So whether you participate in a different sport and are free over the spring, or are looking to try something new, I encourage all to join spring track and run distance. It may seem daunting, but the rewards may be worth the challenge!
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