Running the Distance

Mariam Krasinski, Grade 10, Staff Writer

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It’s morning, and your first period is physical education. You lay your notebooks down in your locker and head over to the college campus. You enter class and are immediately made to do a fairly grueling workout and then play an even more strenuous game. During this time, you become fatigued, drained, and sweaty. You have a stitch in your side, you cannot catch your breath, and your muscles ache. And you ask yourself: “Why would someone voluntarily put themselves through this?”

Every day after school, 43 members of the boys’ cross-country team come together to train, to run, and to push their bodies to and beyond their limits. I approached several team members to answer the question as to why.

Physical health:

Cross country is unlike any sport. It tests your endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and overall physical shape. Regular participation in cross-country improves metabolic health and enhances bone density.

Many on the HSAS cross-country team take pride in their improvements over the months of training.

When asked about his favorite memory on the team, Whitman Barcalow(‘28) stated that: “Right before the first team meeting of the of the season, which was in August, we were doing warm-up and I was actually able to keep up with some people at a comfortable pace without being too tired out, which is something I’ve never been able to do before, and that was really fun.”

Whitman’s statement highlights one of the most important rewards of cross-country: steady physical progress, proportional to the effort spent. This sense of improvement motivates many athletes to keep training. It builds this ability to work hard and persevere through challenges that extend even beyond running.

Community building:

Like any team sport, cross-country appears to offer a social aspect.

It brings together boys from all across the grade spectrum in the school. Many find friends in cross-country, and this is particularly helpful to our freshmen. For many newcomers, joining such a rigorous sport can make one anxious.

For the members of our boys’ team, cross-country is not just a sport; it is a thriving community.

When Henry Boon-Bordenave(‘28) was a freshman, he admits he was nervous and lost at our school.

“Everyone seemed much older,” he recalls, “but was extremely welcoming.”

Older teammates helped Henry and others like him assimilate into the team. What began as an intimidating experience eased into a time of comfort and fun. To Henry and others, cross-country isn’t just a running team, but also a community built on support and friendship.

Mental Health:

Athletes mention the physical and social benefits of running, and they also pointed out its therapeutic aspects.

Running provides an escape from the pressures of everyday life, allowing athletes to focus on the rhythm of their breath and the steady beat of their footsteps, and to take a break from stress. Declan Olds (27’) says that “running helps regain their focus and stability”. In all, running gives athletes the ability to clear their minds, catalogue their thoughts, and, overall, hit a mental reset button.

So, the next time you see the cross-country team training, sweating and pushing themselves, cheer them on, as they improve their physical and mental health and build lasting friendships.