Anybody Else REGRET Not Joining Cross Country Freshman Year?

Nope.

No regrets. I ran CC fall of sr year only and track in the spring..

During graduation practice, about 10 people (class of 419) were presented with some certificate...i didn't care...it was a half-day.

The football QB

The top football RB

The best baseball player

Etc etc

Then I got handed one..what?

Yep. A San Diego Union scholar athlete nominee award...

Me what? So that was why the athletic director was asking me what my GPA was....i was avoiding him.

Lol so no. My venture into the unknown for one year led to something pleasant..

As i get older..I turned 47 last week, I realize that regardless of what my life is or is not..i actually achieved that.

So no.

I got talked into cross my sophomore year. A dude I ran with a lot - the closest thing to a regular training partner during my high school years - was looking into it, we talked about it, I figured 'what do I have to lose?' I regret I mildly. It didn't throw a huge wrench into my schedule, but it wasn't ideal. By senior year, this guy was still doing it.

Back then, I don't think there were year-round programs. Like, there was no contact between any runner and any coach 8 months of the year or more. Track and cross had different coaches who I can guarantee had no contact with each other. They taught at different schools in the district, and add to that the fact that the track coach was one of the football coaches Fall semester. Or that's the impression I was under just from the word on the street. So, the 2 coaches wouldn't have known each other. Cross season was less than 2 months. I don't know about track, but it would be a good guess it was similar in length.

None of our crowd had anything to do with the track team as far as I was aware. The aforementioned training partner found out who the coach was and approached him, but the offer for his services was denied. I'm not sure what the requirements were for the track team but if he didn't get in I'm guessing I wouldn't have either. So, high school teams really ruin my running but still the same, I am not glad I did it. I always have trained mostly on my own, including the rest of sophomore year outside of the 8 or 9 weeks that cross existed. (And before that. I already ran by the time I entered high school and since then, too.)

Stoppit Smith wrote:

Nope.

No regrets. I ran CC fall of sr year only and track in the spring..

During graduation practice, about 10 people (class of 419) were presented with some certificate...i didn't care...it was a half-day.

The football QB

The top football RB

The best baseball player

Etc etc

Then I got handed one..what?

Yep. A San Diego Union scholar athlete nominee award...

Me what? So that was why the athletic director was asking me what my GPA was....i was avoiding him.

Lol so no. My venture into the unknown for one year led to something pleasant..

As i get older..I turned 47 last week, I realize that regardless of what my life is or is not..i actually achieved that.

So no.

Hey Smith I ran my junior year only and am a year younger than you. Which SD high school??

I was in Eastern League @ PHHS

San Marcos HS knights class of 92.

Shout out to your Patriots too.

They didn't have it at my school. I ran on the boy's team.

Sorry, got cut off. Once I went to the sixth form (junior and senior year) I ran on the boy's team. There was not one before then, although there was a track team with occasional races, but I think it was once a week after school. It's all done through the club system really.

Stoppit Smith wrote:

San Marcos HS knights class of 92.

Shout out to your Patriots too.

My team raced at SMHS last year and everyone was commenting on how new the campus looked. Strange to think it’s been around for like 60 years.

Lol

That's because it was new.

All of that facing is recent...

When I was there ..1988-92, we had portables...lots of portables...the 600s, the 200s, etc etc....

We had an old press box and the administration office was the 900 building.

That beautiful entryway and interior stairs, etc were within the last 15 years.

We did not go up one stair when I was in high school...

Except for sport training or band practice...but class to class...we were all outdoors. If it rained and you had to get from 203 to 804? You should have dressed protectively lol

Freshman year high school XC is the best year to miss if you miss any. Go play football or something for a year.

I played football my Jr. Year

WR

But on a 95% run, 5% pass offense, all you did was block for the running back

Yay lol.

In fact, I only joined CC because a friend did and asked me too.

Lol my favorite point was dropping 6 minutes in a month

Lol

When I read what people have to say about high school and college sports, the friendships and relationships seem to be the biggest thing. Less so on this thread, but on others it comes out that the most valuable thing looking back were the other people. Many have said all their best friends were on the team. While I don't discount the value of that, you're not missing out on all of it your friends are not on a team in question.

As I mentioned before, my best training partner stuck with cross until the last year, which I certainly didn't, but that is not to say all my friends were there. And as I said, he was only out of circulation as far as training with me for several weeks.

I accidentally went to a track practice once - I didn't think they'd be there, but I didn't really know when it was track season and when it wasn't - and I knew one guy. Nowhere near a best friend, but one guy I recognized. I suppose many of those I saw did football the other semester. So my situation eliminated one of the main reasons for participating. If all your best friends are doing it, well I guess it makes sense. That seems to be much of the value. If it's a bunch of folks you don't know, well that's a different story.....

Sham 69 wrote:

I do.

I started running way too late during my senior year, was able to get down to 4:30 in the mile and a sub 17 5k on only 20-30 miles per week. I wish I had started earlier because I think if I did, I would have broken 4. Not only that, but I don't have any time to qualify for the prestigious Footlocker or Nike nationals. Watching those videos make me so excited, but it's depressing that I'll never get to race one of those.

The thing is, I gave up those years just play JV football and then sit on the varsity bench. I could have joined cross country way earlier but didn't because I thought they were nerds (they kind of are, but running is cool, so it would've been worth it).

Anybody else have regrets about starting late?

Okay David

I ran XC and track, then XC, indoor and outdoor track for 8 of 9 years of high school and college (not BYU, or I might still be there).

My only regrets are that only two or three seasons total came together in a way that they're memorable. Other seasons, or entire years, I can hardly recall. And yeah, with high school XC only lasting about eight weeks where I was, there was a lot packed in there my senior year.

College was just going through the motions, with very few memorable things. Having 20 guys sprint away from you with 300 to go at nationals is depressing. Your 'going hard' can't always compare.