Last week, aspiring runners around the state embarked on another season of cross country. Some set lofty goals; state championships, or making varsity. Others are trying their hand in a new sport; attempting to forge an identity during the trying years of adolescence.
My former colleague, Mike Harris, head coach of Hopkins, liked to say the season was already half over by the first day of practice. Serious runners had already logged hundreds of miles before setting foot in the gym on the first day. It’s hard to imagine a fulfilled dream in endurance sports without putting the work in first.
The opening weeks in August bring an unbridled optimism that is hard to match. Anything seems possible in those weeks leading up to the first meet. Miles have been traversed, but where they will take you is unknown.
When I coached, I was always amazed at the transformation. Each November, we’d graduate our senior class and I’d wonder how the heck we’d replace them. Each August, we’d return to find new runners filling the shoes of former underclassmen, ready to chase their own goals in the footsteps of those before them.
A new “order” will form on teams in the coming weeks and months. Each easy run, workout, and early season meet is an opportunity to establish oneself in a new role in a sport where the stopwatch is king. Everyone is on equal footing in that regard; the clock doesn’t lie.
Miles of meticulously wearing down the rubber on your shoes gives you the right to dream, but no guarantee you will achieve it. Only the season’s races and training will reveal what’s possible.
Cheers to all the college, high school, and middle school cross country runners kicking off another season! Best of luck as you test yourself and find new heights of what your body can do.
See you out on the trails,
John and Kate