It has been a wonderful season so far for the UHSSE Cross-Country team. We’ve been improving a lot as a team and achieving a lot of personal records as well. Even with the obstacles that the new year has brought, our team is persevering and has become more close-knit through it all. “This year is not what anyone expected, with a new coach and the hot weather, but we have all adapted to it and it has made us a better team.” said #1 in the girl’s league, Catherine Hockenhull 25’. 

     Cross country is a sport that one day you decide to pick up on a whim and end up loving and pursuing your whole life. Suddenly you’ll look back and realize that a jog you took around the block turned into passion you’ll carry throughout your whole life and which changed you for the better. “One day I decided to lace up my shoes and go for a two mile run. Flash forward to now, I am doing half marathons for fun and racing a 5k every week.” said  Hockenhull . Running is something that no one can ever take from you, and even if you take a break or get tired you can always find a home in it. “Freshman year I did cross country to get myself involved with other people and make friends and it just evolved into me loving the sport very much.” said Jethro Ehrlich 26’. 

     One of the main struggles that runners said they had was being too in their heads and doubting themselves. “I get in my head a lot and convince myself I can’t do it when I know that my body physically can. I am working on that and hopefully that shows by the end of both cross country and track.” said Hockenhull. Running requires more willpower than anything else, you have to want it as badly as you want to breathe. Throughout the race you have to convince yourself that you can do this, physically and mentally you have to believe in yourself. Gaining that belief is one of the hardest parts. But once you have it, it can make you feel like you’re invincible in anything you do. 

      Running takes an insane amount of willpower and can feel like you’re carrying the whole world but it will always pay off. It’s a sport where you’ll get out what you put into it. “If I put in the work, it will always show and I can rely on my team to help me get there.” said Emmet Spaeth 25’. You never know when you’ll achieve a new goal or push yourself past your limits, but when it happens it’s one of the most prodigious experiences ever. “With running you have to put in the time and work to see your successes at a time that you least expect it. I know that I have put in the time and work this year, so now I am patiently waiting for that work to show.” said Hockenhull. 

     This team has taught us so much and I would go as far as to say that we would be completely different people without this team. “My team has shown me what work and patience can get you and my goals are scary enough for me to want to work for them.” said  Hockenhull. Cross country is a sport where even though we run on our own, we race on our own, and we can only push ourselves to train harder, we still encourage each other more than any team could. When one of us has a goal it becomes important to the whole team that they achieve it. “The best part of cross country and track is that they are individual sports with a team to support you. My bad day won’t stop anyone else on the team from having their best day.” said Spaeth. 

     One of the most important things about running is staying motivated through it all. It’s about wanting to achieve your goals so badly that you are willing to put in time and effort every day. Even on the days that you’re tired, unmotivated, or it’s raining outside you still continue to put in the effort, because you know that on your good days you’ll be so incredibly proud of yourself for that. Running is trusting and knowing that it’ll pay off in the end. “On hard days I just think about my goal ahead and I think about having that goal and what I want. The school record or winning the championship for Brown. Just that eventual goal, having that is just really motivating.” said Ehrlich. This season hasn’t been what anyone expected, but it’s going great and I’m so proud to be a part of this team.