This article addresses the popular belief that cross-country running is not a sport. It is written to those people who believe that anyone can run; that it takes little effort; and that cross-country runners are not athletically inclined. As a third-year cross-country runner, I am writing on behalf of the many long-distance runners in the world. I am writing to prove to the non-believers that cross-country is, indeed, a sport.

Cross-country running is for the athlete who has physical and mental toughness. It is only for the toughest athlete. The athlete who is able to run for three miles, at a fast pace, without losing his or her concentration and without giving up is the athlete who runs cross-country. Perhaps even more challenging than the long hours of training, the fast-paced workouts, or the endurance needed to run a race, is the challenge of being able to stay "mentally tough." Runners must train their minds as often as their bodies. Runners must believe that they can run well and have confidence in themselves before every practice and every meet. If they lose confidence in themselves before the gun goes off at the starting line, they already psyche themselves out of that race. A runner must also be able to withstand the great pressure that is placed by a coach, teammates, and especially themselves. This pressure can sometimes become so overwhelming that it convinces even the best runners to give up.

If you are ever at a cross-country meet, or you see a runner jog by your car in the morning, please remember that that person is voluntarily taking a challenge both physically and mentally to be the best. I feel that we should all "tip our hats" to the cross-country athletes around the globe and recognize once and for all that cross-country is not only a sport, but by far, the greatest physical and mental test of the human body. n