Grand Ledge cross country has a history of success. Producing multiple All-American athletes and plenty of conference and regional titles. And anyone can become a part of that. It just takes hard work and dedication to achieve that. But there are even more perks than just winning that come along with running. 

    Most people associate running with strict diets and perfect eating habits but that is a falsehood. You see, if you become a cross country athlete your calorie needs are going to increase so you will need to start eating even more. You will eat more to maintain the needed energy. So if you love to eat and do not want to feel guilty about it, running cross country is a fantastic way to do that. 

    Running can help boost motivation in other parts of your life. School will all a sudden feel easier because your motivation is through the roof. Running has also been proven to increase your mental health making you a happier person overall. It will also increase cardiovascular health meaning you’ll get tired less quickly and recover quicker. 

   The culture on the cross country team is one of success and bonding. It’s a fantastic way to meet new people and branch out. As a team, there are multiple bonding opportunities like our ultimate frisbee games or team dinners. Every Friday in the summer we travel to a new location to run, expanding our horizons even more and making for some fun bonding times. The most exciting part of cross country though is camp. This is a week-long event where we usually go to Holland and get fantastic miles in and spend our days at the beach. It is usually the highlight of most people’s summers. 

    The negatives of running are outweighed by the positives, through the pain there is success. Success through accolades in running but also in everything else in your life. So if you find yourself bored this summer, come out for cross country!