On Saturday, Sept. 2, the girls’ cross country team showcased their incredible talents and potential for the coming season at the 50th annual Woodward Relay competition. The team has been training hard since mid-August and went into the race well prepared and in the zone. Evidently, the effort paid off, and the girls brought home a win.
The girls have extreme potential for success this season, and they’ve got high hopes for the races and competitions to come. Senior Mackenzie Raue reports her goals for the season, and is devoted to reaching them.
My hopes for this season are to win states as a team, and run a sub 19 minute 5K,” Raue said.
However, the work doesn’t just mean going to practice.
“I know if I prioritize nutrition and sleep it will help me become a better athlete [and] hit my weekly mileage,” Raue said.
Cross country is an intense and grueling sport that requires intense commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Such a commitment runs within her household — she and her sister, junior Megan Raue are an unstoppable team, winning the girls’ six mile relay.
Megan sees the team’s win early in the season as a good omen for what’s to come.
“I think we are set up to have a good season as long as everyone continues to work hard. I think our win showed we have a lot of potential for the rest of the season as it showed how many great runners we have. Also, it only being the first meet shows that we have a great base with lots of time for even more improvement,” Megan said.
Luckily for the team, they have a lot of depth, or several talented runners. Athletes Maddie Simmons and Carolyn Hultman placed third in the same event, and Lily Bienfang and Mirae Denaro placed tenth. The abundance of athletes on this team is what allowed them to place first at this competition, and it will permit them to succeed in those to come, especially the bigger competitions like states.
“To earn the state championship title I think everyone needs to stay consistent and keep showing up to practice. I also think it is important to have everyone encouraging and pushing each other to do our best,” Megan said.
Another key aspect to success in a tough sport like cross country is moral support, in addition to meeting the training requirements. The runners have the bond they need to create a positive atmosphere to compete in.
“My first impression is that it’s difficult but the team environment is really good! You can enjoy practice because it’s a great community and everyone is super supportive,” freshman Samantha Stack said.
Even as a younger member of the team, the girls are tied together, undoubtedly contributing to their success. The team has several social events that facilitate this process. Connecting with other athletes via social events has proven to improve performance in the sport as well as make it far more enjoyable.
“My favorite team events are going to IHOP after practice, team dinners, pep rallies, meets, bus rides with the team, and t-shirt making. The team is very undivided- everyone motivates each other to do their best which I think is part of the success,” Stack said.
All across the boards, the girls are committed to their training and preparation for the road to states. The outlook for the girls’ cross country team is ergo very bright. They’ve got what it takes to earn that state championship title—commitment to training and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, depth in terms of incredible athletes, and mutual support to make such an intense sport pleasurable.
“In order to win states we need to work together as a team and that means pushing each other and holding ourselves accountable. We have a really great team this year and I’m super excited to see how the season goes,” Mackenzie said.
