6 reasons to try a cross-country race this fall

Although it doesn’t feel like it outside, fall is coming up soon, and that means cross-country season is right around the corner. For many runners, cross-country is how they first got into running. It was a fun extracurricular activity in elementary and secondary school, but for a lot of people, school is where cross-country stayed. Luckily, that doesn’t have to be the case. Cross-country is for people of all ages, not just students, and every runner should consider entering a race this fall. Not convinced? Here are six reasons why you should give the sport another shot. 

1. It’s a great challenge 

Cross-country presents a different kind of challenge than the ones you’ll face running on the road or track. You hit seemingly never-ending hills, steep descents, mud, rain, blistering heat, frigid cold — cross-country delivers on all fronts. As runners, the challenge and the difficulty are exactly what draw us to the sport, which is why racing cross-country is a must-do for anyone who hasn’t recently. You’re going to love it. And hate it. And then love it again. 

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2. It’ll improve your mental game 

Since cross-country provides such a unique and tough challenge to runners, it’s so important to be strong mentally. Mental strength is important for all types of running, but especially so when you’re climbing a muddy hill in zero degree weather on a weekend morning. It’s so easy for anyone in that situation to say, “Screw this,” and walk off the course or take it down a notch and cruise to the finish line. But you’re not going to let yourself do that. If you start a race, you’re going to finish it with all you’ve got. You’re probably already pretty mentally tough, but after a cross-country race or two, you’re going to notice how much easier it is to push past the walls you encounter in future training and racing. 

3. It’s a blast from the past 

You loved cross-country when you were a kid. Get back out there and enjoy the nostalgia a bit. 

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4. You’ll enjoy a team atmosphere 

You don’t have to race on a team in order to enter a cross-country race, but if you have the chance, you should definitely join one. This will not only make training so much easier, but it will also help you on race day, because with a team, you’re no longer just running for yourself. Every position and every runner matters on a cross-country team, so even if you’re having the worst race of your life, you have to bear down and give it your all. If you don’t do that and you let other runners pass you, then your team’s score will suffer because of it. Plus, it’s just fun running with teammates and friends. 

5. Learn to focus on feel 

When you’re on the cross-country course, time and pace no longer matter. This may bug a lot of people who live for the data on their GPS watches, but really, it’s a good thing. Cross-country races will give you the chance to practice listening to your body and racing based on how you feel instead of running based on a pace on your watch. Once you get good at running on feel, it’ll help you in all facets of running, whether you’re on the trails or anywhere else. 

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6. It’ll be fun

This is really the only reason you should need. You’re going to love it and you’re going to have fun. So get up and sign up for a race. You won’t regret it.