It might not be a secret to some of you, but I love Cross Country. To me it does not get any better than long races, trails, mud, easy runs with team mates, grueling workouts with teammates, and feel of gearing up for a race in a frosty autumn morning air. I don’t see another sport that can beat that anywhere. However as it turns out some of you have been running or are about to begin running track – almost the same thing but not quite!

            For a cross country lover track may seem a little brutal, shorter races, dry air indoors, endless exposure in the sun outdoors, constant repetition of scenery (How many times you need to hear that same old guy croak “c’mon blue team!”?!), and for me the was the inevitability of having to run an event where I was going to completely left in the dust- namely the 400m. Taking all this into consideration, was it possible for me to enjoy this sport and how?

            Well I well tell you something; I love running track, that is no lie. It is not Cross Country, but it the time that is not Cross Country season; it will do the job just fine as a sport for me. Both sports share running as their main component, but so much more excitement and energy is brought onto the track! From the stands and the sidelines you can witness EVERYTHING going on, each pass, each stride, every hurdle and every handoff. Also here we find the field events, which have crammed as much intensity as possible in under 10 seconds. Every action that leads up to someone clearing a bar, landing in a pit, a throwing implement colliding into the ground is packed with awe and excitement. It is hard to argue that a 4x4 to determine the meet champion is not one of the most exciting “edge of your seat” events that someone can witness.  Just the same as hearing the old guy aimlessly cheering for whoever is on the track once a lap, you are given the satisfaction of hearing your team erupt in excitement as you go, and typically this more than once a lap! And who could ever forget the adrenaline rush that would occur when the official would ring the bell for the lap, no matter how dead I was that distinct ring would give just a little more of a hitch into my stride, which made all the difference in the outcome of the race.

            So even though the sport of Cross Country is what I call home, Track has got it’s own place in my athletic ventures. Not for the same reasons, but for all it’s I call track one of my favorite sports.

What do you guys love about track? And how do you compare it other sports (not just XC) you do?