Working toward their goal of improving their running time this season, the girls varsity cross country team trained nonstop for months. 

“Every race is probably the biggest accomplishment [for us],” sophomore Maya Crimin said. The team made it to state this year, competing not only with the other teams, but with themselves, each trying to beat their own personal record. 

“We have so much drive to do our best every day,” Maya Crimin said.

Cross country is a sport that requires a lot of mental strength, considering that you run by yourself during the races. Each member this season felt like they had to push themselves to find that strength to mentally keep running. “I think that you, yourself personally, had to overcome something that you might not have been able to name before your race,” sophomore Audrey Schuster said. 

Though cross country is based entirely on running, the team feels it has grown to be so much more than that. “A majority of it is just hanging out with some good people,” sophomore Melly Riel said. 

Team members feel they have grown mentally and physically this season, both as a team and as individuals. “We have gotten closer as a team and learned to help each other push through the pain,” junior Lauren Baker said. 

Even with many new faces this year, the team has grown relationships that will last long after the season. They all feel like running has formed a bond between them, making each of them feel like they have another family they can rely on. “You go through so much pain together that you get really close,” sophomore Kari Yatsushiro says.

Team members are looking forward to training for the upcoming season, with many of them participating in track during the springtime. Some aim to practice during the summer to maintain their speed, though it can be hard to run during the hot weather. 

With the season coming to a close, the team is proud of how far they have come this season, and how much they were able to grow. “We have improved so much over the season,” freshman Malia Crimin said. And they know that they can do even better next year, “There is a lot of potential in this group,” Schuster said. 

“If you are thinking about joining cross country and do not know if you would fit in, I think there is a spot for you,” Riel said.