There are three types of fun: type I fun is enjoyable while it’s happening, type II fun is miserable while it’s happening, but fun in retrospect, and type III is not fun at all, not even in retrospect.

It’s very unusual for running to be anything but type III fun, but on the Aspen High School cross-country team, type I fun is much more frequent. After three years of being a part of cross-country, I’ve found that the dynamic of this team is special.

In fact, the AHS boys team won the annual Chris Severy Invitational race here in Aspen on Oct. 10, and senior, Liam Locke, placed 11th and helped these boys get the win.

“Not many people can do what we do. It takes grit. Just look at our home race. I can’t believe how far everyone has come,” said Locke.

For him and the team, though, the results aren’t the most important thing.

“I wouldn’t be the runner I am today without Chris {Keleher} and my teammates. They make the pain endurable and even welcomed at times,” said Locke.

Many do cross-country just to spend time with this group and coach Chris Keleher. The team is a family, and we know we can rely on each other.

“I love the people I run with and Chris makes every run difficult, educational, and certainly fun,” said senior Dara Schenck, one of the girl’s team top runners.

The team agrees that it is completely different from other sports, because it teaches you to push yourself in every aspect of life. Although we depend on our team for emotional and mental support, it’s physically up to the individual to perform his/her best.

Believe it or not, spaghetti dinners, sharks and minnows and capture the flag games are common too. Though cross-country is stereotypically associated with skinny legs, puking and snot, the AHS team is quite the opposite. Sure, races are extremely brutal, but if you don’t feel pain, then you aren’t human.

“Seeing progress throughout the season drives me to work my hardest during workouts and seeing everyone else improve along with you builds a sense of community around cross-country,” said Locke. “We bond because we share that same pain, and in retrospect, cross country is fun.”

Don’t get me wrong, cross-country is not fun because of the running, running is still merciless, but as we all say, running with friends is better.