Going Cross Country

Boy's Varsity Race - Verona Cross Country Invitational
9/1/2018 dwm photo

I'm not much of an athlete.

My best team sport was basketball, but other than the 7th grade B-team I was usually near the end of the bench.

Just before my senior year of high school, I joined the Cross Country team at J.A. Craig.

It was fun and very challenging.  We had a very good team and with close to 20 runners. The 8 on varsity qualified for the State Finals.  I was anywhere from the 7th or 8th runner on Jayvee to 1st or 2nd on the C-squad.

Slippery when wet - caused several
falls on the turn. 9/1/18 (dwm)

Less people attended our meets, but what appealed to me (and still does) is is no bench.  If you are on the team, you run.

You may not win, but you can set a personal record.

Prior to the Verona Boys Varsity race, I watched young and less-experienced runners climb a big hill about a mile from the finish.  The race winds across a ball field to the base of the hill.

From there, they ran across and up before running back and up, with another switch-back before reaching the top.

The runners, upper left, are at the base of the hill. The flag
marks the final turn on the way to the top. 9/1/18 (dwm)

The less-experienced runners struggled in meeting the challenge.  The Varsity runners rushed through it before charging downhill.

A tight right-turn (photo above right) grabbed some runners whose feet flew out from under them.  I am surprised more didn't fall.

The conditions reminded me of my "best" cross country result.  Heavy rain created large puddles. Runners in expensive shoes ran around while I ran through, cutting the corner.  Muddy shoes = good finish.

The ethos of cross country is that every runner works hard.  They push past personal and physical obstacles over 3.1 miles to advance the team's finish and improve their personal time.  Runners of earlier races position themselves around the course to push teammates to a strong finish.

I wish I had been part of it for more than a season, but that one year taught me lessons for a lifetime.