I am a runner. Many would argue that competitive running is an individual sport. In the sense that no one can run a race for you, they are correct. These individuals, though, either are not runners themselves or are not taking into consideration the spectators of a race, the many people involved in a single runner's training, or the fact of if a runner runs with others or not.
I myself am a long distance runner. I run for the Kingfield running team. I do not kid myself when it comes to training and racing—I must do all the work myself as an individual. However, even though I race on my own, I do not consider running an individual's sport on the basis of this. If I did not have my teammates to train with, I would be more prone to giving in to a desire to not train. If all those cheering people did not come out to support everyone and add to the atmosphere of the sport, I might succumb to the physical pain I feel during a race and drop out. I am the one doing the work of running no matter how fast I go, but to me, running is just as much a team sport as soccer, basketball, football, and hockey, where everyone plays their part. Everyone is my teammate. Even the runner I'm racing against pushes me to be the best "me" I can be. I do not know what I would do with out them.
