<p>yeah that's why i didn't join cross country...i'm a weakling and unlike XC-ers I value mercy and doing your <em>personal</em> best.
i said i love cross country mostly to encourage you :)</p>
<p>Jim bob is like me we are both really weak unless hes lying to make me feel better, but i never actually played a sport before so this is going to be my first time and i dont know anything about cross country but all i know is that you run, and unwritten is scarying me about how you can rest and stop, i feel bad for myself and we actually have to go in to the rain, i cant imagine that, thats a little rough and how many days a week is practice for you peoples</p>
<p>For me, cross country was easier than track simply because I didn't regularly throw up after/during cross country practice. But that's because during track season, I was a short/middle distance runner--and that meant going, how you say, balls-to-the-walls. And that meant pain. And periods of not being able to move. Or breathe. Or stand.</p>
<p>But then again, I wasn't held to as high a standard in cross country than I was in track (where I was expected to score points for the team in big meets). During XC, practice was 5 days a week, rain or shine (rain was preferred to excessive sun). Though we had easy days before meets and no practice after meets.</p>
<p>On my team, people would stop and take short breaks as long as our coach wasn't running with us (Do Not Walk on crosswalks to me was always a gift from above), but you're generally not supposed to stop during distance workouts. Running into varsity guys wasn't a problem because we always chose our own running routes depending on the time given to us to run for.</p>
<p>It will be hard...but it's truly a case of "no pain, no gain."</p>
<p>you mean you gotta race people of your own size?</p>
<p>sean123: you're going into 9th grade, right? if so, there should be plenty of people who are new to sports. an inexperienced freshman is to be expected. no one is going to make fun of you. i, however, am a senior...so i can't really use the excuse that i'm fresh into high school athletics.
that being said, if you feel so uncomfortable, then spend this year training on your own terms and getting ready for 10th grade cross country. spend the school year running and perhaps join track in the spring of your 9th grade year. don't worry--colleges aren't going to look down on you for "only" being in a sport from 10th-12th grades. that's sufficient continuity.</p>
<p>but i need as many Ecs as i can to get in a good college and even though i never played a sport before i think i can do it, i mean i wont get kicked off the team if i do my best, and i practice a little everyday.. i dont have to practice like so hard and so long cant i take it bit by bit and run 1/16 of a mile each day then move to 1/4 then to 1/2 then to 1</p>
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you mean you gotta race people of your own size?
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<p>Size doesn't matter. But yeah, most likely you'll be put into a huge JV race with people who aren't good enough to make their team's top 7. They'll be some pretty fast people, but there will be a lot, I mean a lot, of slow people, all in the same race. Plenty of people to race against, no matter what you're speed is.</p>
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i take it bit by bit and run 1/16 of a mile each day then move to 1/4 then to 1/2 then to 1
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<p>That's probably not going to happen. It'll be more like 2 miles, then 3 miles, then 4 miles...but remember, even if you can't run the whole way...you can always jog, or walk quickly. 1/16 of a mile (100m) isn't going to help you, you're better off starting off running one mile slowly than running 100 meters.</p>
<p>sean, if you really feel like you need to run for all 4 years then do it. also, if you're looking for an EC to stand out from the crowd in terms of college apps, this isn't it. running takes a lot of endurance and commitment. it's also not a stand-out sport. unless of course you make captain or perform well.</p>
<p>its thundering and raining now, and its like 5 43 and the power is hopefully going to stay one</p>
<p>and if i try hard enough can i become the best runner in the world?lol\
I wish life didnt have to be so hard</p>
<p>"i wish life didnt have to be so hard"</p>
<p>man, oh man, will running change you</p>
<p>what does the captain do?</p>
<p>The captain/s is/are usually one/some of the best runners on the team, and basically help the coach run the team. The captain(s) is(are) a role model(s)--always working hard during practice and trying to help the rest work hard to by example.</p>
<p>Running isn't a stand out sport unless you're a stand out runner--but it is a sport that takes and shows commitment.</p>
<p>that sounds dumb,,,so your saying one of my competitors will be the coach...thats not fair,, i think that the actual coach should be the coach</p>
<p>shut the hell up and just run</p>
<p>its raining and im playing halo pc right now ^_^</p>
<p>and its thundering and lightning :)</p>
<p>thunder and rain = :(</p>
<p>No, I was saying one of your teammates will be helping the coach. Almost all sports teams have captains, and many teams elect their captains. Someone your own age is often better to motivate you to work hard than a middle aged adult.</p>
<p>All this running talk makes me want new running shoes.</p>
<p>i have new running shoes, because i had no clue i had soccer shoes</p>
<p>ah i love running in the rain. definitely perferable to running when it's hot and sunny out.</p>
<p>anyway: on my team the captain(s) is like a mediator between the coach and the rest of the team. we do things like facilitate the team lunches, ordering team sweatshirts/pants/etc, guiding newcomers and explaining rules and stuff to them, talking to our coach about which meets to enter etc, and encouraging everyone and making people cheer really loud lol
captains are there to help you, not make your life harder</p>