What keeps you going through the day? Maybe you like to wake up early and start your day on a high note. Cross-country students are a little different. They begin their mornings with long runs, mile repeats, and hill sprints—training for months, even years, for a single 3.1-mile race. Their drive, discipline and teamwork push them through not only grueling practices but also the daily challenges of being student-athletes.
Balancing cross-country with schoolwork can be challenging. Eighth grader Vera VanLandingham said she stays organized by tackling her assignments right away.
“I finish my homework as soon as I get home to avoid procrastination,” VanLandingham said.
Teamwork is another essential part of the sport. When Florida High’s cross country team lost one of their best runners, they had to bring up a few eighth graders to fill the roster.
“We have come such a long way and pushed each other a lot. That’s why I think we are so close,” VanLandingham said.
For senior Ella Fleck, knowing when to rest is just as important as knowing when to push forward.
“I believe you really just need to know when to take a break, so sometimes I won’t go to practice,” Fleck said. She added that many runners “overwork themselves way too fast,” which can lead to injuries.
Fleck first joined cross country her sophomore year after searching for a sport that was, in her words, “beginner-friendly.” Now, she believes anyone can become a runner with enough determination.
“I feel like we start the race as an individual and finish as a team,” Fleck said.
That mental strength carries runners through the hardest parts of a race. Freshman Lawson Phillips takes a simple but tough-minded approach when the miles start to feel long.
“It could always hurt more,” Phillips said about pushing through races. He explained that he focuses on making it to the next part.
Photo courtesy of The Renegade.
For many runners, the mental battle is just as important as the physical one. It takes focus, discipline, and belief to push through exhaustion and pain. Fleck says her motivation doesn’t just come from training; it stems from her faith and inner drive to see things through to completion.
“Break flesh with faith, and God brought me to start, so I believe I can finish,” she said.
