There was no better way to begin the cross-country season than for our second race to be against St Mark's, our rival school, as well as Rivers and BB&N.
After a great win at our home course against Nobles, the whole Groton cross-country team was beyond excited to travel 45 minutes south to St Mark’s. Its course is infamous for its difficulty (even with the so-called “Wall,” an incredibly steep 100-meter hill that certainly lives up to its name), and I was very nervous to compete against these schools in an unfamiliar environment.
Luckily, the whole team was thrilled to be able to compete, a feeling so contagious that I soon was also counting the minutes until the "ready, set, go!" As the JV girl’s team raced, the whole Groton community cheered them on, making me feel even more comfortable on this unknown campus.
The boy’s JV race soon followed, and with my awesome teammates, we were able to take the win home (with all top seven runners in the race from Groton). The cheers from those not running undoubtedly made me run faster, and my running pod certainly pushed me to my fullest. I was very proud that I was able to PR and get my best time yet.
Even more incredible than the run itself was cheering varsity runners after I had already finished. The atmosphere was filled with music, cheers, and laughter. The school spirit and encouragement toward my teammates were lively. I had an amazing time cheering my fellow runners and experiencing the beauty of supporting a team. This race was most certainly an amazing way to begin the season.