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Cross Country: only the strong survive
We all know about “don’t do the crime…,” “don’t let your mouth write a check…” and “don’t drop the soap,” but it’s time to popularize a new adage. Don’t trip and fall—especially in a cross country race, because hundreds of competitors will step on you over and over again with no remorse. “ I’m always afraid I’m going to get stepped on or I’m going to step on somebody,” said Kara June, Fresno State’s top cross country runner this fall. Cross country is not the biggest spectator sport in the world, so chances are you haven’t seen how hectic the beginning of the race can be, but that’s just the nature of the game. At Monday’s practice, one of the runners had a shirt that read, “My sport is your sport’s punishment.” Meaning, when the football team gets busted, Pat Hill makes them run. So what’s the punishment for cross country? Insertion into the middle of the pack? “ If somebody falls, you will not have any time to move out of the way or jump over them,” June said. So if you hit the deck, don’t expect any helping hands to pick you up. “You’re not people when you’re racing in the beginning,” June said. “You’re racing against animals.” When the team toed the line at its biggest event of the year, the Stanford Invitational on Sept. 28, so did more than 170 other animals. In all there were a total of 374 feet available to waffle some poor girl’s face. There is legitimate danger when that many people are all trying to get away from each other, and the only way they can do so is by running forward. Imagine that many Tiger Beat-crazed 14-year-olds fighting through the mall to get to Justin Timberlake. Fresno State runner Nicolin Neao said runners are all trying to get ahead in the beginning of the race, but it’s hard to break away from the pack. And that’s when bad things can happen. “ You know how the birds all fly together?” Neao said. “We’re kind of like that.” But June, who said she’s been running since elementary school, said it’s important not to lose the competitive edge. “ You can’t be afraid to be aggressive and throw some elbows because you’re going to get them in the chest anyway,” June said. “Girls definitely know where to hit other girls.” Fresno State doesn’t have a men’s cross country team anymore, so I’m just guessing, but I’m pretty sure guys know where to knee other guys too, if you know what I mean…and I think you do. So the ruthlessness of cross country finally comes out. Believe it. They’re not just jogging out there. June said she’s never fallen in a race, but did give some advice to fallen runners. “ The longer you stay down, the more you get stepped on,” June said. |
