Running is way more than a sport; its a way of life for many or an escape from reality. For three dedicated girls who participated in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track, it has shown that running offers a great sense of freedom and accomplishment.
Through their relentless training through all the rain, hail, snow, or sunny days, they pushed through with all their unwavering passion, and they find strength and empowerment in every stride they take. Their inspirational motivation showcased to cross that finish line is just one reasons why they run.
Chesnee Smith, Anna Geisel and Noelle Dougherty all explained their running experience throughout the years. Smith runs cross country and track, Dougherty and Geisel run cross country. One thing they all have in common is that their friends and coaches are their biggest motivations to keep putting one foot in front of another.
Smith talked about how the biggest challenge for her during Cross Country is the races because of how long they are and how every course is different. She discussed how the unpredictable weather is one of the challenges she faces; “we have to be prepared to run no matter the conditions, and the majority of the time we run weather its rain or shine”.
Her teammates are her biggest motivation and something she looks forward to every practice, The most rewarding part about running besides her personal bests are the antics she and her teammates engage in before practice and meets. She said this comradre helps get her mind off the pre race nerves. One piece of advice Smith wanted to share with anyone else looking to be a runner in the near future was “to have confidence within yourself. [Running is] as much about mentality as it is about fitness”.
Dougherty runs Cross Country, and according to her, the greatest challenge is having a strong enough mentality to finish the race. She explained that ” yes its very physically demanding, but its even more demanding to the mind”. For Indoor and Outdoor Track, the greatest challenge is being prepared to run in any type of that weather. She says ” you never know weather you’ll be running in a blizzard, rainstorm, or on a blazing hot day”.
Indoor track is very deceiving for her because while they are racing inside for their meets, they are practicing everyday in the freezing cold. Dougherty highlights the “runners high”. “There’s something so special about going on a run, and you catch yourself smiling, when you feel light on your feet, and feel like you can go as fast as you want. Sure 99% of the time, runs don’t feel like this, but for that 1% of the time, the “runners high” is worth it”.
Dougherty suggests others “go for a run; give it a try. I don’t mean to give up after the first run. Try running a little bit more each time, until that distance starts to feel a little bit easier. Everyone starts somewhere, and it’s not going to be easy, that’s what makes running so special. You can set your own goals for yourself”.
Geisel also runs cross country and has been running for a few years now. According to her, the biggest challenge that she faces is running multiple laps around the track because she feels like nothing changes. She wanted to quit after her first practice, but she noticed that running does improve her mental health. Geisel says “any day that I am stressed or having a hard day, I know that later I can just run it off”.
She wants to make sure her coach knows that she tried her very best. She strives to be better and faster after every race. She says the most rewarding part of running is “the friendships [she’s] made with people.”
These runners serve as a powerful and constant reminder that mental state is a big part of pushing oneself across that finish line. Despite the physical exhaustion and mental, there are many rewarding parts of the run.
