Redefining Fun for High School Runners

Aspen and Sophie after a muddy and rainy Ram Relays

I recently listened to an interview with Sean Carlson, the head cross-country coach at Colorado, and his insights about the “barrier to entry” for success in cross-country really resonated with me.

Coach Carlson made it clear: if you want to party and stay up late like most college students, you probably won't thrive on his team. Greatness requires discipline. While there are differences between high school and college running, the fundamental truth remains the same: the barrier to entry for success in cross country is consistency and discipline.

Having coached for twenty-five years, I've witnessed this firsthand. At the high school level, we’ve had athletes leave the team because they preferred weekend outings or late nights over training. That’s their choice, but it comes with consequences. In my view, opting for the easy way out is a disservice to oneself. These athletes often claim they are sacrificing too much to continue in cross country, feeling that everyone else is enjoying life while they are not. The reality is that being a successful distance runner demands more: discipline, consistency, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to routines that foster success. It’s this very routine and discipline that some athletes resist. Yet, the routine and discipline are what lead to success not only in cross country, but in life. Yes, they can choose to stay up late, attend parties, and disregard the next day’s training. It’s their life to navigate, and they can easily walk away from the pressures of success, selecting whatever path they prefer. The world is filled with options. We currently have runners in our program at a crossroads. They miss practices, stay up late, have poor nutrition habits, and arrive at practice distracted and unprepared, only to complain about their lack of results. There’s a disconnect between these athletes, their peers, and the coaches. They want to enjoy their version of fun outside of practice while still excelling against their peers. The reality is, for these runners and every athlete in our program, they can have anything they want, but they cannot have it all. Greatness demands something back. Every late night, every shortcut, every easy way out chips away at their potential and frustrates those around them who recognize their capability. The easy path is wide and filled with distractions; the hard road is narrow, less traveled, and significantly more challenging.

However, this doesn't mean we don’t enjoy ourselves in cross country. We simply define fun differently. Staying up all night scrolling through social media or attending random parties might seem fun momentarily, but that enjoyment is fleeting. In contrast, pushing through a tough workout with your teammates or finishing a long run stride-for-stride with a friend after giving it your all creates lasting memories. This kind of fun is more challenging to attain and even harder to define, but it’s significantly more meaningful and enduring. It’s fulfilling because those moments are earned through hard work.

Some of my most cherished memories as a runner stemmed from shared challenges: crushing a workout, enduring the heat together, or racing to the finish line after a long run. Those experiences were valuable precisely because they required effort, not only from me, but from my teammates as well.

Let’s not shy away from this reality: I want us to win. Winning is fun! But we will never tell a team or a runner that they must win. However, success is a natural outcome of the process. When you commit to the work, you give yourself the opportunity to win. Nothing is assured, but without discipline and consistency, that opportunity isn’t even available.

Here’s the challenge: stop viewing it as a sacrifice when you choose sleep over late nights or practice over parties. It’s not a sacrifice; it’s a choice, a choice to pursue something more substantial and rewarding. It's a choice to be more than the average person on the wide path.

The barrier to entry is straightforward: discipline, consistency, and a willingness to embrace hard work. If you meet that barrier, you not only give yourself the chance to win, but you also find that the process becomes enjoyable. That’s when cross country truly shines.

Every runner must make a choice. What holds more value? A fleeting moment or something greater that creates lasting memories? There are no guarantees in athletics. You can do everything right and still not achieve the desired outcome, but at least you provide yourself with a chance to succeed. Choosing the easy way out means forfeiting that opportunity. There is a cost, but it isn't a sacrifice; it's a choice. You can look back with regret or with pride. Only our runners can truly determine how far they go.