One Way, Uphill Only: Cross Country Dreams and the Journey to a State Championship Season

One Way, Uphill Only is a journey to the center of high school cross country in America. Covering an entire year of action, the narrative follows the trials and tribulations of five young men as they try to win the first state and national cross country championships in the history of Palatine (IL) High School.

The story is told from the unique vantage point of their coach, Chris Quick, who is not only a remarkable coach but a writer of the first order as well. He takes a sport that seems on its surface to be dead simple–run hard, add up the finishing places of your first five runners, and the team with the lowest score wins–and unpacks its astonishing complexity and beauty. He weaves details of training, injury, psychology, rivalries, parents, and history into one dramatic, continuously fascinating story.

Chris Quick has been a coach at Palatine High School since 2001. He is a graduate of both the University of Illinois and Northwestern University. This is his debut work of nonfiction. He lives in Palatine, Illinois.