By Lee Davis
For those unfamiliar with the sport, cross-country running can, almost literally, sound like a walk in the park. After all, the athletes are competing in an attractive wooded setting with pristine running trails and are surrounded by nature. So how hard can that be?
Actually, cross-country is one of the most demanding sports an athlete can choose. The five kilometer course is grueling, and nature, most notably hills and trail hazards, are not a runner’s friend.
None of those obstacles has prevented Homewood’s Andy Smith from becoming one of Alabama’s finest cross-country runners. Smith, a senior, is hoping to lead the Patriots to their fourth consecutive state cross-country title and earn his second individual crown at this year’s state meet in November. His personal best times of 15:42 in the 5K and 4.17 in the mile run make him the fastest returning runner for those events in state track and field.
Smith also excels in both indoor and outdoor track and field, and he has won seven individual state championships combined in cross-country, indoor and outdoor track. He has been a part of three state titlist relay teams and was a key member of Homewood’s state outdoor champions in 2014. But cross-country may be his first love.
“The summer either makes you or breaks you when it comes to cross-country training,” Smith said last week. “If a runner hasn’t trained hard during the summer, then he’s probably not going to have a good year.”
Smith and his teammates spent most of their summer participating in workouts that began at 6:30 a.m. They ran long distances, lifted weights and even did lap swimming to improve their conditioning.
“It was tough,” Smith admitted, “but will be worth everything once the season starts.”
Training for cross-country is quite different from training to run on a traditional track, according to Smith.
“Cross-country isn’t just running around in a big circle on a track, so you have to be prepared for anything,” he said. “You definitely have to do a lot of hill work. Those hills can be a killer if you’re not prepared. Also you have to be concerned with things on the trail like how to run over sand. It’s a different type of race.”
Smith said the mental aspect of cross-country running is as important as the physical part. “I usually get very nervous before a race, but that feeling usually goes away once I start running,” he said. “When it gets toward the end, I just keep telling myself, ‘Don’t quit, don’t quit.’ I try to block out everything except trying to finish the race as strongly as possible.”
Another important factor is dealing with the inevitable pain that comes at the end of a difficult race. “There’s an old saying in track that says if you’re not hurting, you’re not running hard enough,” Smith said. “If I’m going to be hurting at the end of a race anyway, there’s no point in running poorly.”
Smith’s attitude is symbolic of the rise of Homewood track and field in recent years, as runners such as Alex Ngei, Hunter Poole, Logan Sadler and Davis Platt have all contributed to the Patriots’ success. In addition to going for a fourth straight cross-country title, Homewood will also be aiming for its fourth consecutive indoor track title early next year.
“We have a group of guys who decided in ninth grade to take cross-country and track seriously,” Smith said. “So we’ve been working hard ever since.”
Patriot cross-country coach Lars Porter said Smith’s attention to detail in preparation is an important ingredient in his success.
“Andy has been a pleasure to coach the last three years, and I’m excited about his senior year,” Porter said. “He has bought into the fact that daily dedication and small improvements each day lead to major improvements over time. Andy understands that success and struggles are all par for the course.”
Smith began running competitively in the seventh grade after getting encouragement from his father, Glenn, who had been a triathlete. “I went out for football and it wasn’t for me,” Smith recalled. “So dad suggested I give cross-country a try. From the very beginning, I liked it.”
College recruiters are already knocking on Smith’s door. He said he has offers from the University of Alabama, Auburn University and the University of Arkansas. “I definitely plan to run at the college level,” he said.
For the moment, Smith is focused on the season ahead. He wants to add that fourth team and second individual championship trophy to his school’s hardware collection.
“The main thing is being my best at every practice and every meet,” Smith said. “If I do that, everything will work out.”
Cross-country running is far from a walk in the park, and Andy Smith wouldn’t have it any other way.
