Strives and Struggles of Cross Country

Isabella Aguirre

September 20, 2023

 

Michelle Garcia, a Junior at Seaside High School is the captain of the cross country team. She began her journey on the team her sophomore year. Outside of school Michelle likes to play her cello which she has been playing for 7 years and she also enjoys reading fiction books. She loves running and feeling accomplished at the end of practices and races. Her best cross country moment was her first ever meet which consists of running three miles on natural terrain like dirt or grass. It was a Jamboree at York, which is an unofficial meet with only a few teams attending, and she got first place in her group. She said that she was already exhausted but she pushed herself at the end because she would be really proud of herself. Additionally, an achievement she has had recently is cutting her mile time in half since last year. But cross country isn’t all winning and happy moments, it's full of struggles and trials too.

 

Michelle recently injured herself at practice (quad strain) which has not been an easy challenge to overcome. Her injury occurred when she pushed herself a little too hard one day and she said, “It’s always better to listen to your body and to not push yourself to the point where it physically hurts.” She went on to say that her wound is just a detour and it has taught her alot about setting her own boundaries. Her injury has caused her 2023 cross country season to come to an end but she is still practicing to the best of her ability with her team. When asked about her biggest motivator she said “My team is my biggest motivation and they push me to be a better runner.” When asking Yasmin Casas who is also on the cross country team she said “I like how she includes everyone during workouts and she's just a kind person.” She also added how supportive and punctual she is during practice. Her co-captain Nathaniel Reed also added “ Even though she can’t run  this season I still respect how she still shows up to practices.” He also said how she's good at keeping her team in line. Physical health isn’t the only thing at risk when you’re a part of any sport that requires hard work and dedication. Taking care of your mental health should also be a priority if you want to stay ahead. When asked if she had ever thought about quitting she replied that she has because the sport takes a lot of mental work and causes stress. One problem with cross country is that it can be time consuming and with school finding time to do homework can be challenging. But she never took that path because she doesn’t see herself as a quitter and she uses that to push herself during races or practices. Michelle perseveres through her races even if it may be painful or exhausting but she said that feeling is better than quitting because she wouldn’t feel disappointed in herself at the end. She encourages herself to run for the whole duration of practices or races and tries her hardest not to walk because it can turn into a habit. After a competition Michelle knows she can do better and she uses that to push herself to improve on her next race. Garcia concludes, “The last stretch of a race is the hardest, that’s why I never doubt myself. It’s all just a mental battle and I just have to push through the last part of the race for it all to  be over.”

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The next time you think about cross country don’t just ask yourself, “Who crossed the finish line first?'' Instead, picture the people who are running in the race, how they must be feeling, and the moments that led up to them pushing themselves at the last stretch. This sport truly shows the nature of the athletes who participate in it because of the perseverance, and mental, and physical strength it takes. Cross country is full of rewarding experiences and there will be tribulations that affect how you get there but feeling a sense of accomplishment like how Michelle did,  make it all worth it.