The cyclists are still under their blankets, the swimmers have fled to the gym to train in the indoor chlorinated saliva, but not you, you're tough. You head out the door in the morning ready to take on the icy weather, dark roads and long climbs. Hard core.
However you're missing out on the one of the greatest tests running can provide. What's a challenge if it's not painful, dirty, humiliating and almost completely without reward? Cross country is all of those things.
No amount of time on the legs can prepare you for a league cross country event. But in turn, no type of running will prepare you better for any distance, whether it's a 10k or a marathon.
This is how it goes
When the gun goes off, you are going to start the race faster than your 1500m personal best, as you jockey for position. The course then bottlenecks into a single lane and heads almost vertically up the nearest terrain feature.
You'll hit lactic acid in the first five minutes. After ten minutes of running you will be more tired than you have ever been and further back in the field you would ever thought possible.
You will be running on pure hatred of the bloke who happens to be one place in front of you. There will be spectators, but they won't clap. There are no casual spectators at cross country. There is also little joy in crossing the line.
It's racing with no trophy, prize money, medals or sponsors junk. But you will walk away knowing that you have competed in your sports most brutal challenge.
You have earned the right to look any road race in the eye and stare it down. I'll take that over another t-shirt any day.
Author Resource:-
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