I am a cross country runner.

I voluntarily exert myself over several miles every day, battling blood, sweat, tears, mud, wind, heat, rain, snow, hills, and downright stupid levels of lactic acid. I crave the pain elicited from hard workouts as I revel in the “runner’s high” felt from long, ten-mile runs.

I am a cross country runner, always ready to hit the trails no matter the weather. My closet is filled with everything from spandex and sport bras to face scarves and mittens. I continue to brave the exterior conditions to feel a sense of toughness, but more truthfully, to avoid running on the treadmill.

I am a cross country runner, and for this, I have received reactions such as, “That’s insane!” “I can’t believe you like to run.” and “I would die.” I have also fielded questions such as “You run how many miles?” and “Do you ever get tired?”

Oh, and not to mention “What’s the difference between cross country and track?”

I smile every day at these reactions affirming my insanity, because deep down, I know they are true. An ordinary person would shy away from pain, and would much less gain joy from the feeling of physical struggle.

But cross country runners are far from ordinary.

I am a cross country runner who has had her fair share of both good days and bad. I know that while some days I can run without growing weary, other days, my thighs feel like sacks of potatoes.

I am a cross country runner. I am also a cross country eater. While many people try to shy away from large meals, I know that calories and carbs are my friend. On the days leading up to a meet, my teammates and I consume an ungodly amount of spaghetti because “pasta makes us fasta.”

Also, spaghetti is undeniably delicious.

As a cross country runner, I have been blessed to call my teammates some of my closest friends. The three-hour time period sanctioned off for practices doesn’t define our relationships; we eat together, study together, laugh together, and pray together.

I am a cross country runner, and despite what people may say, I believe cross country is in fact a team-oriented sport. While aspects of our competitions may seem individual, our strength is found in our teammates and coaches. If I was isolated from my team, I would not have nearly as many opportunities to grow both as a runner and as a person. I am a cross country runner, pulled along by the determination of my teammates during races, and always supported by their unconditional love off the course.

Ultimately, I do not know where I would be today without cross country. I am forever grateful that God has guided me toward amazing people and a sport through which I can honor Him every day. I am overjoyed to have found not just a sport, but a way of life, that I can continue in high school, college, and beyond.

I am incredibly blessed to call myself a cross country runner.