Why Run?

            Running is a good way to stay in shape and to exercise. I have heard that you burn one hundred calories for every mile you run. I also heard that you burn one hundred calories for every mile you walk but I still think it is more beneficial to run. Running raises your heartbeat more than if you were to walk and I think you seem to be getting better exercise when you run than when you walk because you seem to sweat more and you feel more accomplished and better after a long run than after a long walk. You can also burn more calories in less time by running than walking. You don’t even have to be a fast or good runner but running a mile will still take less time than if you walked a mile.

             While running is a really good exercise to do and is used in many sports it can still be really hard. Running without stopping for a long amount of time can be very difficult. When running for a long time you can get really out of breath and just feel like you can’t run anymore but the more often you run each week the easier running can get. So you shouldn’t get discouraged and give up right away if you are just starting to run because it should get easier. Running for a long period of time is never really easy but after running for a while it shouldn’t be as hard as when you first started. After track or cross country season I take a few weeks off and when I start running again it seems so difficult and impossible but after a few days of forcing myself to keep running anyway I can get back on track and running seems easier.

I think running is very important. Running is used in every sport that you could participate in. You have to run in football, basketball and even tennis. You may not run a lot in your sport but you still have to run at some point. The swimming team at my school even runs in practice to help better their swimming. While running may be used in every sport, cross country and track seem to be the hardest sports because you only run. Many of the other sports take a lot of different talents but cross country takes a lot of endurance. Cross country is considered to be other sports punishments because it is so hard. You may run in other sports but in cross country you have to run for very long periods of time without stopping and in other sports you seem to run then stop then run and you’re not always continuously running. Running may be difficult but it presents a good challenge and it can also be a good way to stay in shape and exercise. Running can also be very important ability because it is used in every sport.

 

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Running Family

My family is a family built up of runners. My dad ran track for three years when he was in high school and my mom ran track one year when she was in high school. My older sister is a senior and has been running track and cross country since she was in seventh grade. My younger sister is in ninth grade and has done running club, track and cross country. I have been running track since seventh grade and cross country since I was in eighth grade.

My dad was more of a short distance runner and ran a lot of one hundred meter and two hundred meter races. He also went to the state track meet a few years during his high school running career. My sisters are more of long distance runners. My older sister placed eighth at the cross country state meet last year and also placed eighth in the three thousand meters at the state track meet. I enjoy running more of mid distance races like the four hundred meter race and the eight hundred meter race and I think I may try doing hurdles in track this year.

I think it is very important to have a family that has also participated in the same sport as the one you do or one that supports you in your sport. Without my dad and my sister I probably wouldn’t be as encouraged to run cross country and track and try as hard to be my best. My older sister has influenced me a lot in my running. Without her I probably wouldn’t have every gone out for cross country or track. My sister is only a year older than me so I tend to follow in her footsteps a lot so when she choose to go out for running sports I also decided to go out for them as well. My parents are also very supportive of my running. My parents try to go to all of my meets and my dad looks up a lot of the running stats and tells me what I should be running and what my competition is. I think it is very important to have a supportive family. Without my family I wouldn’t be where I am with my running that I’m at today.

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State Meet

My cross country team has qualified for state this year by placing second in the districts meet. The meet is on Saturday and is at a golf course in Fort Dodge. The state meet is held in the same place every year so if you have gone to state before you are used to the course you will run on.

I think the state meet is a very big deal. Cross country teams have been working very hard and have been having a lot of practices throughout the season and all the effort put in will end with one more challenge, the state meet. The state meet gives your cross country team a chance to run against all of the other really fast cross country teams that you may have not had a chance to run against yet this season.

The state meet is very different than most of the other cross country races you will run throughout your cross country season. The state cross country meet has all the best runners in the state competing against each other in one meet. Your team may be used to having your top five runners in the top ten in most meets but when it comes to the state meet that can completely change. Everybody seems to start out running really fast and it’s important to not get stuck behind people when you are running.  You never know how your team may place at state until you have actually run because so many little things can affect the outcome of the race.

Seven people can run for a team in the state meet but only five of the runners are scored but the sixth and seventh runner can still be a very important part to the team.  If your team ends up having a tie with another team the tie breaker is the sixth runner of your team so your sixth runner still needs to run their best in case of a tie. Sixth and seventh runners are also important because if they finish in front of other teams top five runners the other teams will score more points than if they finished behind them and the team with the least amount of points will win the meet. The state meet can put a lot of pressure on you but it’s still important to try to run your best because you have been working hard all season to prepare for this meet and you get to compete against some of the best runners in the state.
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State Qualifying Banner

      
            At the state qualifying meet for cross country the teams that place in the first three go to state as well as the top ten individual runners. For the two years that I have been on my cross country team we have gone to the state cross country meet but only one of those years have we also gotten a state qualifying banner for qualifying for state.

            Most sports get state qualifying banners when they qualify for state but for girls cross country you have to place first at districts, the state qualifying meet. I think this is very unfair. Even the guys cross country team gets a state banner if they place in the top three and qualify but the girls cross country team has to place first. Only fifteen  cross country teams go to state for cross country so I think it is pretty big deal if you get to go and I think the cross country team should get a banner for qualifying for state even if they don't place first in districts.

            My cross country team is ranked ninth in state right now and has a good chance of qualifying for state. Our district or state qualifying meet is tonight and there is really only one team that will be major competition for us. Iowa City West is in our district and they are ranked sixth in state. We have been running against Iowa City West all season. Iowa City West has beaten us in most races though we won against them in one or two. We just raced Iowa City West last week and their team won against ours by about eight points. Tonight if everyone is running around the same times they normally run, Iowa City West will probably win and that means no banner for my team.

            Getting a banner for qualifying for state doesn’t seem like a big deal but it can be especially for the seniors on varsity for cross country. As a senior if your team gets a state qualifying banner you get to present the banner to the whole school. My sister was a junior last year and when the cross country team won a banner she wasn’t able to present it to the school because she was a junior. Now as a senior my sister was really looking forward to presenting a banner to the school and has been working very hard to do so but without placing first in districts we won’t have a banner to present to the school even if we qualify for state. It also seems to be sexist that the boys cross country team gets a banner for qualifying for state no matter what they place but girls have to place first to get a state qualifying banner.
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Alternates

In cross country seven people run in the varsity race but only five are scored. Now that cross country season is over for all of the freshman, sophomores and junior varsity runners only the varsity are still practicing. The varsity team is getting ready for the state qualifying meet and then if they qualify the state meet. The cross country team can take ten runners to state even though only the top seven actually run.  The other three runners are alternates for the state meet and only run if someone gets injured.

This year for cross country I am one of the alternates for state. Being an alternate for state can be a good thing and a bad thing. Now that I’m an alternate for state that means that my season isn’t over yet and I still have to practice with the team. The cross country season seems really long so I was looking forward to being done with practice but now I have two more weeks left.

Another bad thing about being an alternate is not getting to run in meets. I have to practice with the team for the next two weeks but I don’t even get to run unless someone gets injured and I hope no one gets injured so we can run are best at state. So now I still have to go to practice every day just in case someone gets injured and I’m needed to run. Though not having to run in the meets can also be a good thing.

I am very excited about not having to run in any meets anymore. Not running in meets kind of seems to make practicing pointless because you’re only practicing just in case something happens but it is also nice not to have to run in any meets. Running in meets can be stressful and running in the state qualifying and state meet puts a lot of pressure on you to do good so you can help your team get to state. Instead of being stressed and feeling pressured to do well I can have fun instead. I still get to go to the meets with the varsity team and have fun cheering for them with the other alternates.

Overall I think it is a good thing to get to be an alternate. While you still have to practice it is still a lot of fun to be an alternate and you can gain more experience that could help you if you are an alternate next year and actually have to run at state.

Fat Week

Today is my last race so that means I get to start my fat week next week. My fat week is the week after my season ends where I don’t run and eat tons of food. I like to eat lots of the unhealthy food that I don’t normally get to eat during my season. My sister kind of came up with the idea of having a fat week. We both love to eat a lot of unhealthy food but it’s not always a good idea to eat unhealthy food during your season so we go all out the week after are season ends and eat as much and whatever food we want.

             If you are a runner you probably enjoy eating as much food as I do and would also enjoy having a fat week. During my season I still eat a lot of food but I try to cut down on some of the unhealthy foods. Yesterday I really wanted to drink a pop but I had my last meet the next day and I didn’t want to be hydrated so I am saving the pop for my fat week when I can drink as much pop as I want. During my fat week I like to eat tons of candies and sweets. I also eat lots of ice cream. I eat ice cream during my normal season too but I try to cut back a little so during my fat week I will normally eat ice cream more than once a day. I also get lots of frappes. I will get frappes form Starbucks or even get the really unhealthy ones from McDonalds.  I will also like to order twenty chicken nuggets from McDonalds or Wendy’s one day.

            I think having a fat week can be a good idea if you’re a runner as long as you only have a couple a year. Running everyday takes a lot of energy and burns a lot of calories so at the end of your season it is nice to have a week were you can try to gain some calories and eat all the delicious food you normally try to avoid eating. I have my fat week two times a year. One week after cross country season and another the week after track season. My fat weeks are probably my favorite weeks of the year because I get to eat whatever I want and it’s the only weeks of the year when I don’t have to run every day.

Cold Weather

            It is finally starting to get cold outside so that means layering up before you go outside for a run. When it comes to running in the winter or late fall, I am usually stuck outside to run as long as the weather will permit. My family doesn’t have a treadmill to run on so I have to run outside. I also prefer not to run on treadmills because I don’t like to keep running in one spot. I could also go to the gym to run but the gym I go to has a very small track so you have to run a ton of laps before you can get any good mileage in, so I run outside in the cold or until it gets too cold or too snowy and I am forced to go run in the gym.

            When I am running outside in the cold, it is always difficult to know how many layers to wear. If you wear too many layers or sweatshirts you get really hot and sweat a lot but if you don’t wear enough layers it can get really cold and you still sweat. I always to try to make sure that I run with gloves because my hands are normally the coldest and get numb. I also like to bring a headband for my ears so my ears will stay warm. Depending on how cold it is I will normally wear a t-shirt, sweatshirt and running tights and am able to stay warm. If its super, super cold out and there is still surprisingly no snow on the ground I will wear a long sleeved shirt or another sweatshirt and two layers of pants. It can also be a good idea to wear extra socks or thick socks so your toes aren’t numb.

            It’s important to still try to run and get miles in even in the cold winter months because track starts soon and you need to be in shape. Track for me starts in February so I need to be in shape then. It is also still cold in February, so running outside on your own helps prepare you for when you need to run in the cold for practice. When it gets to cold or starts to snow it is probably a good idea to find a gym because while it might be harder to get as many miles in when your inside it will still help you stay in shape and get ready for track season.

Especially for You Race

Running road races can be can be a great thing especially if you are running for a certain cause. Some races are set up as fundraisers to help to fund for a certain cause. Many of the races will allow you to choose whether you participate by running or walking so if you are not big on running but still want to participate you can always walk. Since I am a runner and enjoy running in races it is great to be able to sign up for a race knowing not only do I get to help people but I also get to do it by doing one of my favorite things, running.

This weekend on Sunday I am participating in the especially for you race that is for breast cancer. I am going to be running the race with my friends. The race should be a fun event but is also very important because it raises money to help with breast cancer. I get to run and have a good time with my friends while still helping a great cause.

The breast cancer race I went to had a great turn out. There were tons of people there, a total of 15,000 people. Everyone there was wearing their red shirts for the race so there was a huge sea of people wearing red all going to participate to help fundraise for breast cancer. There were so many people there that by the time the first place runner finished the race at a time of about 17:20 there were still people trying to cross the starting line to start the race. The race also had many people from different places. There were people at the race from 35 of the states and also from three different countries.

After you finished the race you could go get water and other snacks that were provided for the racers. You could also go see your results of the race. The race used electronic chips this year for the first time so you could see your results right away. It was also nice to use the chips because the chips start timing you from when you crossed the start and finish line so it doesn’t count all the extra time it took for you to even start the race. I would recommend running races that a for a good cause because you are able to help fundraise for that cause while having fun and running.  

Cross Country Comes to an End

Cross country season is coming to an end. There is only one week left for the junior varsity and the freshman and sophomores on my cross country team. Our last meet is on Thursday. The varsity runners on my team have the possibility of having three more weeks left. They have this week then the state qualifying meet and then the state meet if they are able to qualify.

I can’t believe how fast the season has gone by. Time seems to go by so fast. I remember at the beginning of the season it seemed like it would take forever for the end but now the end has finally came. I am very sad that our season is almost over and I’m going to miss cross country and all of the people until the season starts again next year.

I am also very disappointed to have only one more meet left. I still haven’t reached my time goal for this year yet. I have gotten close but am still not quite there and now I only have one more meet, one more chance to reach my time goal until next year. During this cross country season when I have been running my races and haven’t quite reached my target time yet I knew that I still had more meets and more chances to try to get my target time but now I only have one more chance. It is a lot of pressure to try to reach my target time and I hope that I am able to do it.

I also hope to be an alternate for cross country state this year. You can only run seven runners in the state meet but you can bring alternates in case someone gets injured or is unable to run. Your team can bring three alternates and right now I am one of the top ten runners on my team so I have a possibility of  going to state if I can remain in the top ten and if my coach brings three alternates to state because sometimes he chooses to bring only one or two.

The last meet of your cross country team can be a lot of pressure because you want to end the season well and run a good time. It can also be sad to see the cross country season come to an end but it’s nice to have some time off before track season starts again in the spring.

Spikes

Running spikes can be important to help you run faster times during races. My coach claims that if you wear spikes for the first time during one of your races you will drop forty seconds off of your time. I'm not exactly sure if that is true but is still believe that running with spikes can help to improve your time.

Spikes are a lighter weight shoe then normal training shoes. By decreasing the weight of your shoes spikes can help to lower your times. When you are running with spikes and your spikes dig into the ground on the course it also helps give more traction so your feet aren’t slipping and that also helps you run faster.

Spikes can also be very dangerous shoes to wear. When wearing spikes it is a good idea to try to make sure you don't spike anyone and that no one spikes you. It can hurt. When we were just about to start one of our races I was pulling my leg up to stretch and accidently spiked one of my teammates who started to bleed right away so she had to run with blood on her leg during the whole race.

Running with spikes can also create problems at the starting line. If you spike someone at the very beginning of the race and the person falls then the starter has to shot his gun and everyone has to come back and restart the race. Though tripping someone when wearing regular shoes during the start of a race can also have the same effect.

Spikes are also fun to wear. Many spikes have fun and bright colors that stand out. I bought my spikes from running wild and they are bright orange and blue. Another nice thing about spikes is that you don’t have to buy them as often as other shoes. You wear your training shoes everyday so they get warn out very easily but you only wear spikes during races so it takes a lot longer to wear them out so you don’t have to buy them as often.

I wear spikes for all of my meets and I believe that they do help me run faster because they provide traction and are lighter weight. I also really enjoy the bright colors of my spikes that stand out during the race. If you don’t wear spikes during races you should consider to start wearing them because they could help you run faster and drop your time.

Trails

For cross country practice my team runs on the Cedar Valley Nature trail a lot. The trail has decent scenery with many plants and trees, a small pond and a creek. It is nice to have a certain place to run practices on. We are able to run many of our long runs there.

It is very convenient to be able to have a certain trail or path you can do many of your runs on. By running on the same trail it helps you know how far you have run. You can have certain mile markers or landmarks on the trail that help you know how far you are running.  On the trail I run on there are mile markers that are spray painted on the trail for each one half of a mile.

Running on the same trail can also help you to run at a certain pace. If you run with a watch when you’re running it’s nice to have one half mile markers because at each mark you can check and see if you are close to running your target time. You can also compare one of your runs to another run if you are on the same trail. You can compare one of your times to the time you are running and see if you are going faster, the same or slower than before by comparing how far you have ran on the trail to how long you have been running.

It is also nice to run on a trail when you have to run long distances.  When I have to run at my house and I want to run eight miles I have to run a four mile loops twice because there aren’t any paths in my neighborhood that I can run eight miles on. When I run on the trail I can run eight miles without having to do any extra loops or running the same thing twice.

On most trails there is also a drinking fountain which is really nice on hot days so you can stop to get a drink of water during your run. Running on a trail is very nice for knowing how far you are running and at what pace you are running. It is also very nice for when you have to run for long distances.

Running with Music

Should you run with music? I think it depends on where and how long you are running if you decide you want to listen to music when you are running. Really long runs can get really boring so it can be nice to have music to listen to during your run. When I have to run over thirty minutes by myself I like to bring an iPod to listen to when I'm running. Listening to music can help the time pass faster. Running long distances can seem to take forever especially when it is really quiet so it can help to bring music so your run seems to go by quicker.

Listening to music can help on long runs but it can also be a downside because you have to bring an iPod to listen to the music on. You can buy certain things made for running with music like and arm band to put your iPod in so you don't have to hold your music player when you run but I don't own anything like that so when I want to listen to music when I'm running I have to hold my iPod in my hand and it gets sweaty and bothersome to have to run with. I am also always afraid that I will drop my iPod when I'm running.

 

Besides having to hold your music player when you’re running it can also be annoying to wear headphones. My headphones always fall out when I’m running. Even if I were to buy headphones that would stay in my ear better it wouldn’t help because I always hit the headphone’s cord with my arm when I’m running and that yanks my ear buds out too.

In the summer when I run by myself is when I will occasionally bring my iPod to listen to music on and it helps my run be more entertaining. During cross country season I never listen to music when I run. When I have practice I have my whole team that I can run with and talk with while I’m running so I don’t need to listen to music. You also can’t have iPods during races so I find it pointless to get used to running with music when you can’t in a race. Running while listening to music can be helpful on long runs and when you are running by yourself but it can be bothersome to have to run with a music player and you can’t listen to music when you are racing.

 

Running in the Rain

            Running in the rain is not always very enjoyable. It can frustrating when you are running and it starts to rain but it can also be really exciting. When I am running a workout sometimes I wish that it would rain. When it’s really hot out it can be nice for it rain so the rain will help cool you off. Sometimes my team runs through the sprinklers on really hot days to cool off just like if it was raining. When it’s really hot and humid outside and it starts to rain but the rain doesn’t cool you off because the rain is warm or air temperature it is not fun to run in the rain. When the rain is hot and it's hot out it just adds to heat.

I also don’t like running in the rain when it is also storming. If it starts to storm it is probably smart to cut your run short if possible. Strong winds and lots of rain can make it difficult to run and to be able to see where you are going. My sister and I were running one night over the summer and had to cut are run short when the wind started picking up and it was down pouring. When we started our run we thought it looked like it was going to storm so we ran shorter loops then we normally would around the block to make sure we could stop early if we needed to. It is smart to look up the weather before you run. With all of today’s technology it is very easy to find out what the weather is going to be like and to plan your run ahead of time so you can try to avoid storms.

            It is also smart to try to avoid running outside when there is lightning. It can be very dangerous to run in lightning so it’s best to try to stop your run if possible. During cross country practice during my freshman year we were running on a track while the junior varsity football team was warming up for their game that morning. In the middle of are run it started to rain and we kept running. When it started to lightning shortly after and the junior varsity football game was cancelled it was a good idea to end our run early.  Running in the rain can be really nice to help cool you off on very hot days but it’s important to try to avoid running in storms because it can be dangerous.