As the cross-country season comes to a close and the cold weather slowly falls down upon us as we prepare for the cold season, we are offered the opportunity to reflect on the ups and downs of the season. The cross country team has enjoyed an awesome season, and with that, the feeling of runner’s high after races, workouts, and longer runs.

The science behind this phenomenon is similar to what somebody would feel after completing something physically rigorous, as endorphins fill our system, giving us the floaty feeling of euphoria. Cross country is a good example of this, as after a hard run, a lot of stress is put on the body, and running high helps ease the tension. The body’s response to this is to try and reduce the pain and/or the muscle tension accrued during a run by releasing endorphins or endocannabinoids.

To me, this cycle is something that I enjoy as before anything intense happens during cross country (especially races), a feeling of fright makes me feel tense. Still, when I have been running for a while and have found the groove that works for me, the sense of control and, depending on the weather, the wind swaying or rushing past never ceases to calm. On top of that, whenever I am running, I get the opportunity to admire the scenery, further adding to the euphoric feeling after a hard run.

This happened on Thursday, Oct. 3, when the cross-country team attended the Litchfield invite in Western Minnesota. There was a constant cool breeze and perfect conditions for running. Additionally, the course was very flat, and the majority of the team was able to hit very impressive personal records, myself included. I beat my previous record by two minutes for the 5k. The improvements and the feeling of success make cross country feel as invigorating as it does. I am currently trying to make the most of each practice by trying to find more fun spots to run to on light runs and push myself harder on herder runs so that when I look back, I’ll feel content about all that I have accomplished.