With another cross-country season well underway, I thought it would be a good idea to supplement the excitement and pure enjoyment of our wonderful sport with five "favorites" in several categories of reading, listening, and entertainment related to running. These favorites are not in any particular order, but I hope that our readers will find them familiar, inspiring, informative, and helpful.

Five Must-See Meets in 2006

OHSAA State Championship - Nov. 4 - Scioto Downs, NCAA Division I National Championship - Nov. 20 - Terra Haute, Indiana. NCAA Division III National Championship - Nov. 18 - Mason, Ohio, Footlocker Nationals - Dec. 9 - San Diego, California

- District and Regional OHSAA meets, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28 (see OHSAA website for locations)

Five Great Reads

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore, Maker of Milers, Maker of Men by Elliot and Berry, Going the Distance by Dr. George Sheehan, Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear, God on the Starting Line by Marc Bloom

Five Entertaining Videos/DVDs

16 Days of Glory '84, '88, '92,'96, '00, '04 (produced by Bud Greenspan), Five Thousand Meters, Endurance, Fire on the Track, Chariots of Fire

Five Informative Forms of Media

RunOhio, High School Cross-Country Report, X-Country X-Press, Track & Field News, Track Shark (website)

Five Ways to Give Back

Become a licensed track/cross-country official - a shortage of young officials is looming, Contact the local sports editors of newspapers to let them know you want more coverage OR compliment them on a job well-done, Support running clubs (ex. Summit AC in Akron), Attend meets and follow your favorite high school runners, letting them know you appreciate their efforts, Help coach a team, if a need exists, even as a volunteer

These lists are not exhaustive, but I hope they will help inspire you to create your own libraries of creativity about our sport. I would like to hear from you and add to my own library with your favorites that I can list in a future column.

Don't miss the opportunity to watch young men and women give everything that they have, to be the best that they can be, as they run through the fields and woods of our state's cross-country courses.