What's your breaking point?

It has been recently announced that the new high school women's cross country racing distance will be changed from 2.5 miles to 3.1 miles. E.F. Fitness talks about how she is embracing the change as an empowerment to women as a whole by making our race equivalent to the boys. I have a slightly different opinion.
I have what can be described as a love-hate relationship with running. There are so many positives (the obvious dealing with physical fitness.) I gain a sense of pride during the cross country season. I feel not only like I am a part of something bigger by participating on the team, but like I am doing it for myself at the same time. I love that.
But it's not all fun and games. I run most of my races at the varsity level, and while I love the challenge and the label, along with it comes a side of anxiety and stress. There is so much pressure to do well and improve invoked by being ranked at the top of your team. You feel like you have some limitless expectations to live up to. This pressure comes from the coaches and of course, my dad, who is my biggest supporter and without fail, my biggest critic.
He only wants success for me in life and in running specifically and is always pushing me to work harder, train more, and "kick ass."
I love this about him because it gives me yet another reason to work hard, motivation is everything in a race. It's all a mental game. I like to think I'm racing against myself, like all of us girls are out there to grab the prize and the end of the course together, but at the end of the day the bottom line is that I'm there to take first place.
But this year is going to be a different game. The race will change dramatically because of the lengthened distance. The daily workouts will be geared more toward longer distance running, and to think I was finally getting the hang of things. This will most likely mean more long, slow running on the trail (not my favorite.) And less short sprinting workouts on the track. I don't usually look forward to cross-country practice in general, but now I will even less.
Next fall will surly prove to be an adventure.

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