James

People often ask me, “Isn’t running boring?” or “How can you run so far without stopping?” These are the questions of a mind which does not understand the true joy and enthusiasm present at Newfane Cross Country. With the truly excellent coach Mr. Heitzenrater at the helm of both the Girls and Boys teams, there is never a dull moment or moment of doubt of the love and camaraderie of one’s fellow Cross Country Runner. First and foremost, Cross Country is the best sport because of the love and friendships gained from other teammates. Once a person has completed a workout, perhaps 5 x 1000 on a hot summer day, stride for stride, or pushed a teammate through 10 grueling miles in the rain, there is a definite respect and sense of trust on the part of the other runner. Never does a Newfane XC’er doubt the fact that teammate would run to their aid, perhaps in a school conflict, or one of deeper meaning, where the simple need for someone to talk to is fulfilled by the requirement of a 45 minute run in the afternoon. The Cross Country team is a family. We eat (spaghetti dinners), sleep (on the bus), shower (after mud runs), and shed blood (at a tough course) together. Everyone on the XC team is by nature friends with one another. This sense of family created by a multitude of activities, first and foremost the spaghetti dinners before meets. Perhaps some other sports may have 1 spaghetti dinner in a season, where the next day, the whole team comes in to school like they are the coolest things on the planet (“We all sat around and ate spaghetti together!”), or 1 end of the year get together, but in XC, it is a weekly or sometimes bi-weekly occurrence. At a spaghetti dinner, runners are able to connect to teammates on an even more profound level, knowing each other outside of the confines of school. By laughing at a funny movie, or just talking about what is happening, Newfane XC has a higher sense of unity present than anywhere else. In addition to the sense of family social health improvement brought out by the Newfane XC team, there is always the presence of enhancing physical and mental strength through running. Running is of course excellent for the body. By running, you will be able to not think twice about doing anything that others might think requires “physical effort”—like the mile in gym, or playing ultimate Frisbee at a party. Perhaps even more amazing is the growth in mental health from running Cross Country. From early morning runs while everyone else is sleeping to freezing runs in the mud and wind to blazing hot summer days, you will build a mental endurance and be able to push yourself through more than you thought possible. Not only is this useful in running, but also pretty much everything you will ever do in life—the will to succeed will help you not just simply finish a task, but excel to greater heights than previously you believed attainable. Listen to Mr. Heitzenrater, and not only will you amaze yourself with what you can do physically, but the entire XC experience will never be forgotten your entire life. Best of luck to all runners.