Every sport in one way or another involves a mental element. No athlete’s performance is based purely on one’s physical capabilities and no team’s success is simply a result of players who are in the best shape to perform. While athletics are by the literal definition “physical sports and games of any kind” any athlete or athletics enthusiast is well aware that it isn’t just physical. The mental hurdle is often times the more difficult aspect to overcome. I have always been aware of this mental element over my many seasons of a variety of sports, but cross country has been the sport where my performance is most heavily impacted by my mentality. Cross country’s objective is quite simple: run the course in the least amount of time. There are no hoops, goals, balls, sticks, or helmets. It is purely the athlete and his/her sneakers. While the overall sport is easy to comprehend, once you’re involved it is clear that it is much more than simply running. When you ask most high school athletes what their least favorite part of practice is the number one response is always running in some shape or form whether it be a few miles or suicides. The word running always results in an eruption of complaints and grunts of disapproval. Now with this in mind cross country is running, not once or twice a week, running comprises the whole practice. Don’t get me wrong, I love running and if I didn’t I obviously wouldn’t be doing it, but mentally this sport is demanding. Some days my legs feel fresh and I am excited for whatever is in store for practice, other days the mental game arrives and I need to decide how to play it. When one is in the midst of a several mile, fast-paced run, in the cold with a slight bit of knee pain, pushing down the mental block that is telling oneself to settle, slow down, and yearning to be home in bed with a nice hot cup of tea is no simple task. Turning around a pessimistic attitude that lacks enthusiasm for the workout is no simple task. Completing a meet in the constant state of wanting to just give up the sport altogether is no simple task. I can’t speak for every sport or every athlete, but in terms of the mental impact on one’s athletic performance and success, I believe cross country takes one of the top spots.
