Running, Running and More Running

Having solely run track since 2009, I figured this year I should branch out so I took up cross country. It involves a whole lot more distance running than track so I was a little worried. At the beginning of the year I ran my first 5K and did better than I thought I would. I kept running almost every day through the summer, a sacrifice that even now I don't understand. Preseason started in June once a week and the season officially started in July.

Our first meet, August 30th, was painfully hot and I didn't do very well. It was only a 4k, I believe, but it was probably my least favorite meet.

The second meet, September 8th, on the other hand was my best of the year. I set my 5k PR of 25:16 which I have yet to break. It was a small meet but I still placed 6th out of about 20 if I remember right.

 6th place metal, a bloody toe and still loving it!

I missed one meet while I was in Mexico and got sick while I was gone. I was still recovering 2 days after I got home when we had our next meet. I really didn't feel well but I didn't want to skip the race so I went on ahead and I finished a 5k in 31 minutes. I knew my time would be bad but I wasn't planning on it being that bad. Oh well, I guess trying to run 3 miles on a super hilly course while feeling like you're going to puke will do that to you.

The second meet of October, the 6th, was cold, cold, cold which I totally prefer over super hot. I did an OK job on this race but nothing I'm really proud of.

On the 13th I had a good race...until I got DQed. You aren't allowed to wear ANY jewelry and I was wearing my EFY bracelet and another entrance bracelet I got in Mexico. I'm not sure how I got away with it at the other meets but I learned not to risk it after that. I was mad but there wasn't much I could do about it.

The 18th I had another one that I felt like I could have kicked it a bit harder but the run felt really good in any case.

Homeschool Nationals, November 3rd, in Springfield MO was the last meet of the season and it was a complete success! We went the day before and stayed at our friends house over night. Most of the families were staying in a hotel, so the HS girl planned some night-before-the-big-race bonding time in the hotel lobby. We painted our nails our team color.

We arrived at the meet site early the next morning while there was still a chill in the air. It was, in fact, perfect running weather.

A nice warm up run...

 ...and soon it was time to line up.

Apparently I didn't run hard enough because I didn't feel like I was about to die at the end but maybe part of it was because I was decently happy with my time of 25:20. Five seconds from beating my PR, which is frustrating, but I hadn't come anywhere close to that since I had set my PR at the beginning of the season.

 I hadn't made it to varsity for this meet but that just meant that it was easier to get 4th in JV!

My brother, who is a way better runner than I am, placed second in the JH boys division by .2 seconds. That's point 2. That was hard for him to swallow but it was also the best he had run all season. He even lead his team to become the #1 JH boys team.

Oh and our varsity boys team wore pink socks.

 After a victorious morning, the team went to chipotle for lunch.

We had our awards ceremony the next Monday. I was actually surprised that I had lettered.

 

Starting July first, our Athletic Director and Coach challenged the team to join the 300 Mile Club. Basically, if you ran and logged 300 miles between July 1st and October 31st, you would be in the club. 5 people, including my brother and I, made it.

And that was my first, but certainly not last, season of cross country. Yes, its only the beginning. My PR needs a lot of work. Is a 23 minute 5k a lofty goal for next season? Maybe, but I want to try! For now I'm just getting impatient for track to start. I think the training from all this distance running will really help my shorter distance running.