Cross country is one of the toughest sports out there. There are no stops, pauses, or breaks. It's just 3.1 miles of high speed running on spontaneous terrain. It's a sport that teaches endurance and discipline. It's also one of the few sports that is simultaneously considered a group sport and an individual sport. My team used to say all the time, "Our sport is your sport's punishment." Running is often used to discipline members of other sports when they perform poorly, whereas running is the every day norm for cross country runners. That being said, there are some things only "xc" runners can understand.

1. The intense rush of adrenaline you get at the start of the race

Also known as a "runner's high." We are known for it.

2. When your coach comes out of nowhere and yells at you

He'll from around the corner, up the hill, or from the tree tops. He'll either yell at you to pass the next three people in front of you, ask you what you're doing (Um.. running sir), or tell you to speed it up, but you're all out of speed.

3. Pre-race rituals

Weather it's a prayer, a chant, or a song, every team has a ritual they do right before the race starts.

4. The scenery

One of the most rewarding aspects of running a 5k race is the view, and the unexpectedness of the trail.

5. You know at least one person who finished a race with only one shoe

No time to tidy up the laces when you're trying to finish in under 23 minutes.

6. Running with a bum knee isn't unusual because injuries are so regular

It's casual.

7. Ice baths

Some call it healing. Some call it torture. But when you run as much as we do it's necessary.

8. Indian Runs

You either loved them or you hated them.

9. Sprinting days

A.k.a fake an injury day.

10. Running on your home course vs. another school's course

You some how always feel like you have the upper hand when you run on your own course.

11. The feeling of guzzling down a bottle of water after a long run is like no other feeling

And by long run, we mean 5 miles or more.

12. Having your coach drive around town on fee run days, to try and catch you walking

And you do walk but you've mastered casually picking up the pace when you spot him.

13. Seeing pictures of yourself from the race like

But you're not embarrassed because it's literally everyone's "race face."

14. Lining up feels like what you would imagine is similar to going off to war

It's all in the elbows.

15. Running up hill

The only way our coaches know how to punish us.

Cross Country runners have a love-hate relationship with their sport. It's a sport that pushes it's members to go farther every day. At the end of the day, though, the community of the team, and the reward of watching yourself move past your limits makes it all worth it.