Before the season starts, there is always the preseason pressures to get back in the groove early so that you don’t fall out of shape. It can be stressful because you don’t always get back into shape as quickly as you’d like. For track and cross country runners, preseason lies against the two extremes of weather: the winter arctic and summer’s scorching broil of the sun.

Yet once the season comes, there are many benefits to the preseason training. You are more in shape and ready to start a strenuous season and are less likely to get hurt. As long as you aren’t overdoing it before the season, you will feel better when you start with long runs and tiring practices and the intensity of the season won’t hit your body so hard all at once. You’ve also been running in extremes of weather and your body has adapted more to running under not perfect conditions. It strengthens your muscles to have to go against the snow and wind. And you build endurance to the summer heats.

Some not-so-fun things about running in between seasons is that you can feel worn down at points and tired, physically or mentally, because sometimes your body just needs a break from the constant fitness and such. Another thing is that you have to motivate yourself to do it every day around other things when there aren’t other people around to force you to go do it or to go practice with you.

Yet with the ups and downs of it all, it is always better to get your backside in gear and just go run. It’s not going to pull you back in season if you’re doing light runs and long runs to strengthen endurance. It’s not fun, but it’s worth it.