Running the [cross] country

I was reading to my youngest last night. The story was "Arthur Meets The President." In the story Arthur's kid sister DW says, "I have a lot of ideas about how to run the country." To which my dear little one says, "my sisters run the country too dad!"

Just last week her two older sisters had started running cross country, but to a three year running cross country and running the country seemed like the same thing... hmm... I wonder?