As they come around the bend, the runners struggle through the last few yards. Victory is waiting on the other side. They cross the finish line and slowly begin to get their breath back. Cross country may not be a mainstream sport, but the team has been honored, last winning the district championship in 2003 and last qualifying for regionals in 2006.
“I love to run and it’s great exercise,” senior Brannan Ross said. “This season, I hope to bring my team up in rankings if I can.”
Contrary to what some may think, cross country and track are not the same sport, though they seem very similar. The difference is distance.
“Cross country is longer distances like three mile runs and 5Ks,” senior Cole Molzahn said. “In track you run the 800 meters, 1600 meters and the two mile run.”
The team can be found running both in the beginning and middle of the day to keep themselves in good shape. Running such long distances for competition requires a lot of practice and long workouts.
“Workouts usually consists of four or five mile runs in the morning, and either five or seven miles or speed workouts in the afternoons,” Molzahn said.
Relying on partners is as important to the team as being able to rely on themselves individually. In order to keep the morale, energy, and speed up, they stay together over the distances they run.
“Coach tells us to stick with someone so the running is easier,” Ross said. “We hang out around people who run the same speeds.”
Training for the meets is long and difficult, but the runners find their rewards simply in becoming stronger and faster.