Feeling really down when it comes to xc?

Question

I'm not enjoying it anymore, I mean I love the people we always have fun but I don't enjoy running or doing the workouts anymore and I've had enough with the coach. This is my 5th year and season doing this sport I'm 16 and I really want to get interested again but I want to try other stuff too, and I don't want to quit b/c I would'nt have anything to do and I want my 4 year plaque. Any advice? I've got practice today, argggggg.

Answer 1

Retire. You should only do what you love to do.

Answer 2

hahaha same thing is happening to me, like this is going to be my 3rd year of running and in 10 mins i have to leave for intervals ARGggg xD, but i guess i just love hanging out with the people, and without cross country i dont know where i would be right now, probably some loser fat doper or something, but thanks to cross im completely opposite  

Answer 3

Whine about it; this seems to be an effective strategy.

Answer 4

I went through the exact same thing with swimming. I agonized about practice every single day and the workouts were nothing but pain for me. When it came to competition, I hated the nerves that I would get before. After a year of anxiety and angst I decided I had had enough. The thing that kept me in the sport was that I was worried I would feel empty without a sport. Then I realized that there was a whole world of options out there. Before I completely stopped swimming, I made sure that I had a plan I was confident in for starting another sport. I have since started rowing and I haven't looked back.

What I suggest is taking a break from cross country and see how you feel. I know it might seem like a waste of time, but go to practice this afternoon and write down how you're feeling, what you like and what you don't like, how you feel after practice and why you think you feel that way. When you take a break, do the same thing. If it seems like cross country was only a source of misery for you, STOP. A sport, no matter how good you are, is not worth making your life miserable. Furthermore, just because you leave a sport doesn't mean that you can't stay friends with the other people on the team. Since I have stopped swimming, the people in my former swim group have become one of my biggest support systems, aside from my family. Other athletes know exactly what it's like to struggle, both mentally and physically.

Ultimately, it is completely up to you and what feels best. I would suggest investing some time in talking to your parents and other people that you know who have gone through similar struggles. Don't feel ashamed of who you are and know that there are a million other things out there that you can get yourself involved in. I am going into my senior year of high school, just having stopped swimming about 6 months ago. I am fully immersed in rowing as my competitive sport and I love it. The feeling of competition is there and the team is great, but I don't have the pressure that I would put on myself as an individual competitor. I really hope I was able to help you out. If there's one thing I can guarantee here, it's that this WILL work out. You just have to be patient and listen to yourself!