Forrest Gump was not always going to be a runner. It just happened to him. Running filled a void and gave him time to think. Or even just to get away from his problems. I have not had this calling, and probably will not anytime soon. But, at the very least, covering cross country has made me understand better why anyone would choose to embrace the suck.
A community has been formed through 5Ks. Through just a few miles, friendships are formed. Teammates push each other to be their best. They all just want to beat their personal records -- or “PR” as the cool kids say. Yes, they are racing each other, but the bigger race is against themselves. The newfound friends help cross country runners reach their best.
“That’s the reason I like cross country. I made a lot of friends not only with the team, but with other schools too. Some friends from Smoky, Overland, Creek. Cross country to me brings people together. It's like a shared pain -- running,” Esayas Embayea said. “Everyone knows it. They try to achieve the same things you're trying to achieve with the sport. So, it's a really cool thing.”
Cross country is a weird hybrid of a sport. Athletes run as an individual, but, from my understanding, also with your team all around you. You know they are there, friendship and competition, all around you. When it gets tough, only they can push themselves to the top of the last hill across the finish line.
“Running with all the team, the whole team, is my favorite feeling. Our whole team supports each other, instead of letting us be on our own,” Milar Little said. But when she is alone in the midst of the race she says to herself, “Never give up. You're almost done. You can finish this. You got this. You can keep going. Don't give up.”
Honestly, why are there not more cross country oriented movies? Imagine Little running out on the course alone just whispering that mantra to herself in between breaths. Now, that would make a grown man cry.
After the long practice or the grueling race, it is not just over. Runners catch their breath for only a second. The next time they lace up their running shows they want to have a game plan. Jaron Ming, the boys cross country coach, is going into next season with even more goals in mind.
“We had some pretty lofty goals this year. We wanted to get the whole team to state and we fell a little bit short, but I saw a lot of improvement in all of the athletes. We had a young team and have a lot of people returning,” Ming said. “We expect to do really well next year and see more improvement with all of them. So we're excited.”
Excitement runs through cross country’s veins from runner to runner, like a relay race baton. Most of them just love the feeling of their feet hitting the ground and inching closer and closer to the euphoric finish.
“The thing is cross country and track go together. As you go into cross country, it rolls right into track. You have to run around and be good at it,” Embayea said. Many of the athletes will roll right into track in the coming months, and they will move away from endurance. Speed is their new best friend. One thing will not change though: carb intake.
“Pasta is any runner's favorite meal. So, my favorite memory would have to be all the team pasta parties that we do,” Evan Keppy said. “Two days before any meet, we get all together, and we eat a bunch of pasta. We have a great time.”