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I admit it. I was pretty happy with the 100 yard dash but that 220 yard dash seemed so darn long. Imagine having to go completely half way around the track!
I was a product of my environment (I'm a North Attleboro graduate). I spent my sophomore year in cross country. Although I ran #5 in one meet, not one person ever told me that it was good. My lack of proper training or encouragement created an atmosphere in which I felt a failure. I never competed in a fall sport again!
But in areas such as the high jump and sprints, my early success drew attention and praise. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots. Cross country = bad. Spring track = good. Add into the equation that nobody ever told me that if you trained at something you would get better at it!
Imagine that! There is actually a benefit to training!
I spent four years of high school reclining on high jump mats and avoiding oxygen debt. Oh, to have those years back.
Cross country is an awesome sport. It is one in which the relationship between genetics and performance is least consistant. By that I mean, if you want to be a sprinter you better be genetically gifted. But if you want to be a distance runner intangibles such as desire and work ethic can outweigh "god-given gifts." i.e. You can't be a successful lazy gifted distance runner. Eventually you will meet the highly motivated distance runner and you will lose.
Could I have been a very good distance runner? I don't know. Both of my offspring were. Maybe my children excelled because my wife had endurance genes that were superior. After all, she had relatives that were standout distance runners at UCONN. Despite growing up in Portland, CT where sport opportunities were non-existant for girls, Arlene continues to place high in road races. I think she has what it takes and has passed it on.
For myself - I'll never know.