Cameron says that running maybe doesn’t suck so much

Long-distance running: every gym teacher’s secret weapon, hated universally by high schoolers forced into physical education.

But for Cameron Cox, running means much more than a sweaty gym class mile.

It means freedom.

“Running was something I loved right away because of the feeling of freedom from moving as fast as I could,” Cameron said. “It’s exhilarating.”

While she did admit that running can be a “challenge” — a polite way of saying “running sucks” — the high school junior has found meaning on the varsity track and cross country teams that couldn’t otherwise be found in a gym class mile.

“I fell in love with cross country because of how bonded I felt to the team and how encouraging the coaches were,” she said. “Some of my best memories come from running with the people on the team, and that is what I am most grateful for.”

Much to the chagrin of P.E. students across the globe, Cameron added that she enjoys the unique physical and mental challenges that distance running presents; she finds it rewarding when she pushes herself through the team’s Saturday morning long runs and all-or-nothing track workouts.

But as the pandemic wears on with its unique set of circumstances, many student athletes have experienced a lack of motivation and difficulty setting goals.

Fortunately for Cameron, any pandemic-induced beleaguerment has largely kept away from her training, in part due to the limited restrictions placed on her sport; it’s a lot easier to run than it is to play volleyball under coronavirus restrictions.

“During quarantine, practices and the season were called off completely, which meant if I was going to run, it would be completely on my own terms,” she said. “This allowed me to see running as an opportunity to get away from the confinement of my house and enjoy running for the pure freedom of it.”

When asked what she’d do if she couldn’t run, Cameron had a surprisingly insightful answer: “I’d cry.”