I want to do cross country but I can't run....?

Question

IDK what to do!!! i thought i'd work my way up to 3-5 miles b/c i'm really unfit but I can barely run half a mile!! summer practices start tomorrow (its not mandatory) but I don't want to embarass myself in front of everyone else by not being able to run.... everyone else is more experienced!! should i go?? and if you're a cross country runner do you laugh at people who can't run?? (in high school)

Answer 1

no one understands how hard running is then runners. It seems embarassing at first to not be able to run very well, but runners respect people who try because they know how hard it was to start. Besides, there is often more then one person on the team that this happens to, so you'll probably have a buddy. Also, you will see a lot of improvement very fast because you have no where to go but up!

It's your choice, but I personally think you should go because it really is great excersise and I think that runners are the best kinda people, :), but if you want to start running now and join the team next year then that is understandable too.

Good luck and please post whether or not you decided to go!!! :)

Answer 2

Maybe you should do something different.  

Not being able to run + Joining Cross Country = Epic Fail

Answer 3

How much time have you put into running before you decided you can't run?  If you have put, say, 4 weeks of running~ 3 times a week and you are still having difficulty, there may be a problem.  Otherwise, you have to realize it will take some time.

The more important question is "Do I like running?" If so, it really doesn't matter how good you are.

Answer 4

most of those who are doing better than u did not start this way because every mile begins with a step. keep focus on you and you will get there.

u can email me for advice

Answer 5

to me maybe you can practices and next year you can go.

i hope i help!

Answer 6

It is going to take time for you to develop your cardiovascular fitness.

Run as  you can and you will get better.

I don't laugh at people who are trying to run.

Run until you have to walk and then walk until you can run some more.

Even if you can not make the scoring team you can be a part of the cross country team and work out with them.

In cross country it is normal to have lots of runners that are not a part of the scoring team at  meets.

You will get better only if you practice and try.

Answer 7

Runners all know that running is difficult. Everyone does it for different reasons, but anyone that is a runner respects others if they put in the work. My son and daughter both run in high school and have come to the same point by different paths. My daughter was a natural and has been a top performer from the first time she ran. My son was out of shape and overweight and his first year was  a struggle. He only kept at it because he had friends on the team. He also had to live with the fact that his sister could beat him and they are only 1 year apart. (He got teased a lot at home) He improved his second year and has steadilly improved each year. He has been on 2 State champion teams in Ohio and will be one of the top 3 or 4 runners on the team this year. (11th grade) There are girls and boys on the team that haven't improved as much as he has, but everyone on the team respects each other because they all know that running is hard work no matter what your skill level. I myself ran in high school and college and could not walk up the stairs for the first 3 weeks I started running. I crawled up and down them. There are kids on my son and daughters team that just do it to lose weight and that's ok, but by the end of the year a lot of those type runners improve by 10 minutes for 5k and transform their bodies in the process. Have fun with it. Years from now it will be some of your fondest memories. I can't stress enough, runners are a special breed and as long as you show up everyday and work as hard as you can, they will respect you.

Answer 8

go to summer practice, and practive yourself.

Always have one runday, and one rest day.

I used to suck at running, but the cross country run helped me get fit.

Good luck.

Answer 9

yeah you should do it i was in the same boat when i started a couple of years ago just tell the coach your situation and youll build up to 3-5 miles just keep practicing and no i dont luagh at slower runners one of my good friends is a slow runner she is always one the last ones done at our meets but she keeps going  and that motivates me to see her so yes you should do it

Answer 10

maybe you should give yourself another year and try to sign up again. During that time you can condition yourself to run faster or longer..

Answer 11

I used to dread cross country - I was so weedy and unfit, I used to walk round most of the course with my friend and we'd take it in turns to finish last!

I overcame this properly yesterday by running the Race for Life (UK charity run that only women can enter to raise funds for Cancer Research). It was 5Ks which I think is just over 3 miles.

The memories of cross country haunted me really badly right up until I started running. I had done some training beforehand, but literally only jogging around the local park twice a week for a month, so I was still a bit nervous. I found that running with everyone else gave it a completely different atmosphere to running alone and I managed to complete the race in much better time than I expected (25 mins 54 seconds!).

My advice would be don't worry too much about it. If you do want to get better, try doing a bit of training outside of classes , you'll soon build up stamina. Try one minute of running, one minute of walking at first - a friend told me to try this and really worked! The experience of running as a class should be more  socialable than competitive - enjoy it, but perhaps things have changed since my days at school.