There is a magical feeling of reaching into a fast food box and finding an extra french fry. Junior Maren Overgaard can relate to this feeling, not only in real life but also as a metaphor in cross country.
Every sport has unique terminology, like words to describe different strategies or slang that only fans of the sport can understand. Cross country has something unique. “Mantras are a big thing in cross country, just like little phrases you repeat to yourself when you’re running. Things that I say are like, I am strong, I am fast, or I can do this, I am strong,” Overgaard said.
Running mantras are a form of positive self-talk that can significantly influence thoughts and behaviors. “I think for me, it mostly takes my mind off of how much it hurts sometimes because when you’re racing, you know you’re really pushing your boundaries and seeing how fast you can go. And you can get distracted or overwhelmed pretty easily. So having something to ground you and keep you focused is pretty good,” Overgaard said.
The cross country team does not have a mantra that they use collectively, but they use the mantras as a source of encouragement. “On the off chance that we’re next to each other in a race, or you’re passing somebody and they’re struggling, [ I say] ‘you can do this,’ ‘you’re strong,’ ‘you’re fast,’ ‘you’ve got this,’ things like that just kind of bring you together,” Overgaard said. Mr. Bollinger-Danielson, the head coach of the team, has brought many different phrases to the team. “He loves talking about finding your extra fry. When you get fast food, there’s usually some hidden french fries under the napkins in the bottom of your bag. So when you’re racing, you pretend like you’re finding that extra fry. You’re finding that extra little bit in yourself to push through the pain to keep it up, finish strong,” she said.
Little motivational phrases besides cross country are common in endurance sports, such as marathons, triathlons, long-distance cycling, or long-distance swimming. Even though Maren’s parents did not run cross country in high school, they played similar sports. “My mom, she didn’t run, but she was a swimmer for a long time, so kind of similar because swimming is like cross country, where you have a team, but when you’re racing, it’s just you. It’s you and the clock, and that’s it. So she definitely passed down a kind of a mental attitude approaching endurance sports with an open mind,” Overgaard said.
Cross country is a mental sport, but one can only have the mental aspect by putting in a lot of physical work. “I think it takes a special person to compete at a high level, you know, it takes so much courage to get on the line every day to commit to the ‘I am going to race as hard as I can [mindset].’ You’re choosing to put yourself through something that takes a lot of courage and grit to decide this is what I want to do, and you come out better from that,” she said.
Overgaard’s reflection on cross country reveals the connection between physical endurance and mental resilience. Just as a small fry can brighten a meal, the mantras and support from teammates can lift runners during challenging moments. Cross country is not just about speed; it is about finding that extra strength within oneself to finish the race.
