Cross Country runner team, community challenged to think 'green'

Working hard athletically or occupationally requires proper hydration to stay healthy. Depending on the heat of the day and the duration of the exercise, extensive amounts of water, and possibly sport drinks are needed to rehydrate after an event.

During the Sidney Cross Country intersqauad meeting, each parent is asked to contribute two cases of bottled water. The water is used for practices and for meets. One Sidney Cross Country runner is looking at the need a little differently. Instead of using disposable water bottles, change to refillable bottles.

Mitch Porter quit using the disposable water bottles last October. He said he saved about 2,500 bottles since then. Porter said a runner will consume about two bottles of water during each three to four mile workout, and probably more during a meet. If each parent of the team, at about 100 runners in the Cross Country program, donates the two cases of bottles water, that would be about 5,000 bottles of water.

“I talked to everyone at practice,” he said. “The idea seemed to go over well.”

He said there will be runners who forget the reusable bottle from time to time, but overall the program will be saving bottled water. Water bottles will be refilled with coolers or at refilling stations at the high school.