Have you ever heard the famous runner’s motto, “our sport is your sport’s punishment?” Well, that saying certainly rings true. In other sports, running is what you do when practice goes poorly. But for track and cross country, running is a way of life.
Still, my love-hate relationship with running goes far beyond simply lacing up my shoes and heading outside. It extends well beyond running itself. I have even composed a list of why I love and hate these sports.
Let’s start with the hard part.
Running is a full-time sport. Any wrong move can affect your next race. Even the food you eat matters. You didn’t think you could just show up and run without planning your dinner the night before, did you? To make it even worse, the meal you eat depends on the type of race you are running, which makes it nearly impossible to get it right every time.
Secondly, running will exhaust you. You do not know true fatigue until you wake up at 6 a.m. and are halfway through a 10-mile run. Little do you know, afterward, you will eat everything in your kitchen and then collapse on the couch for the rest of the day.
Third, you sometimes forget that you have to compete. Gasping for air with people yelling “keep going, you got this!” is a pain I would not wish on anyone, especially when the girl you’ve been secretly pacing off decides to sprint past you out of nowhere.
Yes, these points make running sound awful. But I promise there are good things too.
One of them is the runner’s high. I’m still unsure if it’s real or just a myth, but when the endorphins kick in, I feel like I could run forever. Still, nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment. Breakfast after a long early morning run may be one of the best experiences in the world.
The community is another reason I love running. You do not need much to start, just yourself and a pair of running shoes. Maybe it’s because we all share the same struggle experience, but the running community is incredibly supportive. I love waving and saying good morning to strangers on the trail.
Most of all, I value the friendships I have gained. When I came to Hoban as a freshman, I immediately made lasting connections with the girls on the track and cross country teams. Those friendships stayed with me through the years. I ran my first half marathon this past November with my best friend. I owe that moment to my bond with my team in my freshman year.
Although running can be grueling, it is not all bad. Over time, I’ve grown to love the struggle. Running will always be there, no matter what happens in my life. All I need to do is grab my AirPods, lace up my shoes, and let the stress disappear.
So maybe, just maybe, I don’t hate running as much as I claim.
