It's Not "Just Running..."

One of the things that annoys me is when folks refer to our sport as "just running." You know the sentiment, kids and old dudes alike kind of cast off our sport into the playground as if any one can do it.

I love it when our runners begin to think their way through a season. It rocks when it's obvious that they are absorbing all that is being taught to them. I love it when they pick up the "why" ... as in why we are training the way we are, or why we pick the the races we do. It's easy to sometimes get lulled into "just running" and giving little thought to all the rest that goes into making us better athletes and competitors. Cross country is soooo much more than "just running."

This came to my mind when I came across this description of the elite runner's routine, written by Lauren Fleshmen, one of America's top 5,000 meter runners and Olympic hopeful. Read it. Notice just how many factors and people are involved in getting Lauren to the starting line ready to roll.

Though not all of what she does at the world-class level would apply to you, what does?

We're not "just running..."