Cross Country Runners Continue to Push Limits

STRIDE. These are the girls VHS cross country runners, they are racing in Port Townsend. The cross country running team works together to build endurance, and create a new community. Photo courtesy of John Decker.

Cross country season recently started, and everyone is getting their spikes, shorts, and jerseys ready for the race.Both boys and girls have a varsity and junior varsity, they run separately depending on the race, and how many people attend.

“I do like cross country. It’s very fun, and although you’re running separately and you place differently, it is very much a team sport,which I enjoy,” explained sophomore Annabelle Thompson.

There are many races to run, different places and mileage. John Payne, Fort Seilacoom park, Port Townsend, Bellevue, Hole in the wall and Pasco in tri cities (Pasco, Richland and Yakima) which is the state course.

“My favorite course is hole in the wall because it's longer than a 5K, which I like. I love the course. It's just a fun course with all the rolling hills and such. It's great,” remarked Thompson.

Most of the races are 3-5K’s, and cross country has a very tight schedule due to the fact that the season is only about three months. Cross country is from late August to early November, which means runners need to squeeze practices and races together because they need to fit it in the tight schedule. 

“I like cross country because it pushes my physical and mental limits. When I push my limits to a new high, that makes me proud. Sometimes I think to myself; ‘Dang, I was strong enough to withstand the pain and difficulty of that workout. I was scared, and maybe felt weak at the moment, but now I feel stronger and more confident,’” stated Sophomore Bridget Simmons.

For many runners, cross country races are an intense and challenging part of their season due to the competitive and demanding courses. First, the race starts out with dynamics (a series of pre-running stretching), to prepare your body for the amount of running that is ahead. That can include exercises like high knees, strides, crossed arm swings, butt kicks and walking lunges. Then, as soon as people go to the start line, it's time to start racing. After the races, it is highly recommended to do a ten minute cool down almost exactly after your race, and you get time to catch your breath.

Cross country runners have their favorite memories and race courses, it could be a certain mileage, or if they hit a PR (personal record), for example, if someone wants to run a 6:30 minute mile.. 

“My favorite cross country memory is when we went to state last year and [the weather] was low 40s. (We were freezing). When the boys team was warming up, us girls got all the blankets and sleeping bags at our tent to ourselves. So we got all bundled up and cozy together to keep warm. It was very relaxing!” Simmons said. 

When the runners go to state, the course is longer than all the others, but after, they get to go to a restaurant to compensate for the hard work everyone put in.

“I like cross country because it’s fun, especially like when you’re done with the races and it’s satisfying to do and the food is good, you know, you get to go to a lot of restaurants and stuff,” expressed Sophomore Leif McBennett. 

Cross country is a sport where everyone is in it to win it and they want to give their teammates the support they would want to receive from other people. The girls team has already gotten a plaque from the Fort Steilacoom 5K. 

Every race, workout, dynamic and core exercise, it is a community, not just a high school running team, we work together and support each other to keep us going and persevere with our running and goals.