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Aubrey Hall, captions Bella Galardo

Hailey Clark (10) runs in the pre-season Doherty Never Alone 5k Scrimmage. According to coach Duane Roberson, Clark is one of the most promising new athletes to join the team.

Stakes are high for the girls’ Cross Country team this fall. “This is the best team we’ve had in a really long time,” boasts coach Duane Roberson. “We should go to State for the girls team. What we are doing and doing very well is packing together at the top.”

“Cross country has helped me become self-aware and realize what I am capable of,” says Kaitlyn Davidson (10). According to Jen Cole (11), the sport is more mental than physical, though the physical aspect is difficult too.  

Following last season, when the girls went to State but were held back by injuries on the team, the team is working hard to get faster and stay uninjured. “We usually run about four to five miles a day, but sometimes we’ll go six or seven miles. and we do track workouts sometimes, for speed.” In Cross Country meets, every athlete runs a 5k, which is about three miles. According to Cole, the last 400 meters are the hardest, because you’re supposed to speed up the most. “The mental block is the hardest thing to overcome. Especially in the last 400 meters, your mental capacity has to overcome your body telling you not to. And that’s where you pass people, because everyone else hurts just as bad, but you have to push yourself past them.” Davidson says that she wishes to achieve a personal goal of a 20-minute 5k this season, though she adds, “It’s not just about time. Your place, pace and strategy also mark your improvement.”

There are a few promising new faces on the team this year, Hailey Clark (10) and Braeden Lewis (10). According to Roberson, these sophomores are highly gifted runners that will keep the team young and fast.

The Cougar Classic, which is one of the biggest high school meets, will be on September 24th at Monument Valley Park. Regionals are in Pueblo on October 27th.