Cross Country, not to be confused with track, may very well be the hardest physical sport this school has to offer. The amount of effort they put in week in and week out in order to be the best version of themselves is strenuous to say the least. But, according to Dr. Kevin F. Kean, the cross-country and track coach, the rigor of cross country also offers key life lessons that will translate to the next level.

“The effort that it takes to do well at (Cross country)… It brings a lot out of the kids and teaches them a lot about life and how things don’t really come easy,”said Dr. Kean. “You have to put in a lot of effort to get what you need.”

Success in cross-country certainly does not come easy, and for multiple reasons. First, unlike track runners, cross-country athletes have to run for farther distances and times, meaning that good stamina is a must. “They’re running longer (than track runners) and the races are 3 miles… The training is different for track, depending on what your event is,” said Dr. Kean.

While the physical demands of cross-country are wearing, the mental side of the sport is a whole different monster that has to be tackled. Unlike sports such as football and basketball, every field in cross-country is uneven, and you never know what you’re going to encounter.

“Every course is different, and every single meet we have is not the same,” Ibrahim Dawelbeit, Fulshear’s lone competitor at the state level, said. “You have to think ahead of time, because if you see a hill coming up, you have to anticipate going over it and letting gravity take you down.”

But that’s not all. Throughout the fall, cross country runners have to wake up early in the morning and go straight to school in order to practice. Sometimes, the wind and rain can make the conditions less than ideal. However, this is the reality for all of our cross-country runners, yet you rarely see them complain. “If something’s hard, you just have to go out and do it. Nobody is going to save you (on the field) from the struggle,” Dawelbeit said.

Down at its core, cross-country is a sport where the mind is the only thing you’re competing against. In essence, it doesn’t matter what the other athletes are doing. Instead, the runner as an individual has to strive for their personal best, and self-improvement is at the forefront of what cross-country is even about. But, even with all of the individuality in cross-country as a sport, our Fulshear team has been able to bond, just like a family, which makes the experience that much more special.

For these past couple of months, our cross-country team has battled the elements, physical discomfort, and they’ve shown incredible resolve and determination. Our cross-country team represents the “Dirty F” mentality down a tee. While their 2023 season is done, the memories and lessons will not be forgotten. And in February, all of our cross-country team will lace up their shoes and go at it again, this time on a track field. But if one thing is for certain, it’s that our athletes will put the work in to succeed, one step at a time.