Cross country deserves respect

WASHINGTON, Iowa - Cross country is a sport that not a lot of people consider as a sport.

If people are unfamiliar with cross country, it is a sport where runners push past their comfort zone day in and day out, running 3.1 miles every meet. And that is just the meets. A lot of time in practice, the mileage these runners put on their legs surpasses that number.

Some people don't think it should be called a sport because it only involves running. They think the lack of physical contact makes it lesser than other sports. However, anything with intense physical movement like running should be considered a sport.

In addition, if cross country is not a sport, then why are the numbers of athletes so high?

Sophomores Brooke Stout and Morgan Brinning said cross country, at times, is more demanding than the so-called essential sports.

'The running part,” is why Stout considers it a sport.

'The running and getting in shape for the meets, which suck,” Brinning said.

It is evident the conditioning that is demanded from the athletes really pushes them to be in supreme shape.

Senior Emma Stout, who is a volleyball player, also agreed cross country deserves respect. 'The running aspect” is something that is more demanding than any other sport at the high school, she said.

When the athletes were informed that some people talk down about cross country, the runners didn't take to kindly to that comment. Brooke Stout said 'come to one of our practices and tell me what a sport is.” Brinning added 'come to one of our meets to see if you can run 3.1 miles competitively.”

While cross country might not be the most fun sport, it is equally, if not more demanding, than the more popular sports. Runners must take care of their bodies and be in great competition shape.

Cross country is challenging and, as the athletes stated, there probably aren't many athletes who are involved in other sports who could run a minimum of 3.1 miles a day with ease.

Now, the question is, will people start giving cross country the respect it deserves.