by Missy Thompson

STAFF WRITER

Driving through the streets of Tooele the other day, I started reminiscing about the four years I spent running these roads with the Tooele High School cross-country team. Whenever I see a pack of high school kids running down Main Street toward Macey's or up Skyline Drive, I can't help but think of all the times I ran those same paths. As the summer begins to wind down, the cross-country runners are out training for the upcoming season. I deeply admire each and every one of these kids as they pour their heart and soul into a sport that to some is merely running, but to those who do it is an exhausting, yet exhilarating feat.

I don't look like a runner and I'm not a very good one at that. People are shocked when I tell them I was the two-year varsity girls captain, but the truth is I was downright terrible. When I started high school I really didn't want to join the cross-country team -- mainly because my sister also ran. But then I realized it would be a good way to get in shape for basketball season. My freshman year there were seven girls and seven boys total on the varsity team. After barely qualifying and competing in the state meet, I came to realize how much I had accomplished in one season. I'd begun to lose weight and felt better about myself.

The following year, our team number jumped to nine. The battle of running every day for three months wore on my body, but I kept going. There were many days I wanted to quit and never run again. But as my junior year rolled around, the number of runners skyrocketed -- by cross-country standards -- and we had so many runners we had to split into varsity and junior varsity. As captain, I helped encourage younger runners to keep with it and set an example as one who was more of a leader than a runner. By senior year we had at least 20 members on the boys and girls teams. The team went from 14 to 40 runners in four years. It's amazing to think how far the cross-country program has come in six years. Many of the daily runs are still the same but the program itself has progressed immensely.

Every time I drive up Skyline toward the Oquirrh Mountains, I glance over to the south where a steep, dirt road calls ominously to me as it winds up the side of the mountain. This is where we'd do our hill run on Mondays. We'd run from the high school up to Deer Hollow Road and follow the street up to a dirt path on the hill. It was painful to run up and down that hill four or five times, but I would do it. When it rained, those where the best times to do the run because we would have mud fights and run back to the school drenched and dirty.

Another vivid memory from my freshman year was when the freshman football team ran with us -- probably as punishment. It was a Thursday, which meant LSD -- long slow distance -- where we ran six to eight miles at a slow pace. I loved these days because I could soak in the scenery and jog, not race. We ran up Vine Street to Droubay Road and went right behind the Moose Lodge to a back, dirt road which spit us out on to Skyline Drive. After returning back to the high school, I realized that the majority of the football team was not back yet. I felt so accomplished finishing ahead of those boys that I no longer questioned my inadequacies as a runner.

I've noticed how the runners have changed from the stereotypical runner to kids running for fun. It doesn't really matter their size because they are accepted for who they are and praised for doing something many wouldn't dare try. Two very close friends of mine, Shane and Abree, were fabulous runners who always placed first or second for our team. It didn't matter that I was considerably slower, we were all part of the team.

As I've moved on with life after high school, I've discovered it's more difficult to run while not being involved in an organized sport. However, I have found comfort at the Field House on the University of Utah campus where I can do less damage to my knees by using the elliptical running machines.

Unfortunately, I never became a true runner, but I've helped many kids who thought they could never even run a few blocks to run almost 10 miles. In running, I learned some runners pull the pack ahead and some push it. I was one of the ones who pushed -- and took great satisfaction in watching my teammates win.

missy@tooeletranscript.com