My life would literally not be worth living if I hadn't run XC in high school. I can't imagine missing out on the most important social and athletic experience of my life.
My life would literally not be worth living if I hadn't run XC in high school. I can't imagine missing out on the most important social and athletic experience of my life.
Huge. Had a lot of fun and gave me structure to keep me out of trouble. Got a full scholarship out of it to a D1 and good education, which landed me a solid job.
Played football, ran track. It was awesome, I’d love to relive those days.
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I already ran by the beginning of high school. Was pretty into it (and still am several decades later). I wasn't planning on participating in the school teams but got talked into XC by one of my training and road racing sidekicks. It actually had a negative effect. Messed up my training, had to postpone important races. There was no State Meet or any ultimate prize or goal. Waste of time. So, I didn't do very much in the way of high school sports - certainly had nothing to do with it Senior year - but my experience was that it has a derogatory effect.
Although it was three years of struggle for me in many ways, it was the best and most important turn in my life (seen from 48 years on) from having given up on sports to having a health and fitness-directed life.
It seems as though everyone is commenting on how much running has helped their lives - and rest assured I could say the same - as opposed to the actual question, which asks about running for HS XC and track teams. Perhaps I should clarify my post above. I didn't quit running after the few weeks of my life that I was affiliated with a school-sanctioned team. I went on to go under 3 in a marathon later that school year. No WR, but not bad for a first go just getting into my mid teens. Also, there was no social benefit for me. I don't know who was even on the track team, so presumably none or very few of my friends. A couple (or maybe just one by Senior year) of my training partners continued with cross after that first year but I ran with them the other 10 months of the year. At that time and place there was no year-round program. Just several weeks of the sport, then it ended and the coach and everybody went their separate ways. So yeah, running has given me great work ethic and discipline, perhaps kept me from weighing 300 lbs in middle age, etc. High XC and track have done nothing for me.
YMMV wrote:
Although it was three years of struggle for me in many ways, it was the best and most important turn in my life (seen from 48 years on) from having given up on sports to having a health and fitness-directed life.
You can always spot the people who are developing a fake character because they cannot resist the opportunity to reinforce the backstory. We get it YMMV, you are old and healthy because of meat, and you have never been healthier. And david45 is a high school kid. Or whatever the story is. I'm sure he'll help me remember here in a minute.
Now - time for you to reply in character. Which backstory elements will you incorporate into your response? We shall see.