NEVER QUIT
N
MENTALITY
VS PHYSICALITY By: Lauryn Hartung and Lindsey Frilot
Bonded team overcomes physical pain with mental toughness to another successful season. The finish line is the main goal. Just keeping focus on that is only half of the
mentality. Keeping your body going and adjusting your breathing is the other half. For these runners, cross country is all about being mentally though. “It’s a different kind of physical pain. Football players have a burst of pain, un-
like cross country runners who have to sustain it for a long period of time,” explained Coach Kylee Hutchins. The girls were always together. They practiced together,they bonded together and they never left anyone behind. This year the team was all about teamwork and what they could do when they put their minds to it. “My fastest time this season is 20:11 at Nike Pre Nationals. I am hoping to beat that by the end of the season though,” said Marisa Benson (12). Keeping positive was key to a good season, and with the mentality of a strong leader like Marisa Benson the team could be lead to victory. “We all go to spaghetti feeds before our meet the next day as a whole team. But us girls bond by hanging out and tie-dying and puff painting all of our clothes. Activities like these really get us closer as a team, which can make us stronger,” said Sadie Wierschke (10). Teamwork and support was what kept the girls motivated to try their hardest. With the help of each other they could accomplish any goals that they set their minds
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WORKOUTS
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TE A W M O
Keep improving, Running her 5K in hopes of improving her previous time, Marggherita Brioschi (12) pushes on through the race. “I really liked the team this season. Although it was really hard for me, being new to the whole running thing, but the team did awesome and made it to state,” Brioschi said.
SP RU A N G N H
All most there, Sadie Wierschke (10) runs at Gresham’s home course at Rooster Rock in September. “It was a good season, we all got faster times and had a lot of fun,” Wierschke said.
PE RSRK ER OBO VE UND RA T ING N S C
too. Being mentally tough lead these runners to a successful season.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY | SPORTS
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6/22/2010 10:42:03 AM