Family

FAMILY Growing up cross country Molly Moening reflects on what cross country has meant to her

ERIN, MOLLY, Brad and Maeve Moening pose for a photo together. Brad Moening coaches the highland park cross country team. the sport has become a way of l ife for the family. Submitted photo

BY MOLLY MOENING

Since 2002, my dad Brad has been the coach of the St. Paul Highland Park Cross Country team. Starting in 2005, he created the Hoof n’ Bike. This is a relay race with partners that alternate running and biking over a 13 mile course. This year at the Hoof n’ Bike, my team was made up of my sister Maeve, our friend Lucy, and me. We fell off of the lead pack during the race and we were not in contention for winning. When I decided to take an off trail shortcut, I got separated from them and had to run the last two miles by myself. I turned around and ran back twice to look for them. I had no success, so I turned back around and finished without them. When I got to the finish, they still hadn’t caught up to me. It turned out, when we got separated, they got worried about me and stayed behind to look for me on the trail, fearing bad had happened to me.

The Hoof n’ Bike has always been a big part of our cross country team and I have been a part of it every year, from losing my teammates this past year, to setting a course record with one of my best friends, Audrey Miller, in 2017, to sleeping in my stroller at the waterstop my mom put on the first year when I was a baby. I have always loved being a part of the Highland Park (HP) Cross Country team’s traditions.

The cross country team has always been a big part of my life. During the summer, I would love going to the Como Park Relays every Wednesday night in August. I could run the kids race for a quarter against my cousins. My older cousin, Ben Olson, a current SDSU Jackrabbit, was known for pushing the rabbit of the race, an MDRA runner named Kirt Goetzke. Aside from being able to race with my cousins, the Como Relays provided another opportunity to be around the HP Cross Country team. The girls on the team always made my sisters and me feel welcome; we were their own little cheerleaders.

If the girl’s team made shirts, they would make three extras for my sisters and me. The

FAMILY

MEMBERS OF THE HIGHLAND PARK VARSITY GIRLS TEAM ARE PICTURED HERE AT THE START OF THE 2018 IRISH INVITATIONAL IN ROSEMOUNT. Submitted photos

infamous Ristau sisters, Natalie and Sophie, always made sure after meets to find us and feed us their triple layer brownies. Being able to be around these girls was such a great experience for me and inspired me to race. I always begged my parents to let me race in citizens races, always wanting to run faster and farther. They entered me in road races, running races from the Irish Run 5K to the Twin Cities One Mile. I loved them all. One of my favorites, and the farthest, was the 2015 Twin Cities 10 mile, a race that took an awful lot of convincing to allow my parents to let me run. Running it was a blast. It was a cool, fall day and I ended up running faster than I expected. It truly ignited the racing fire inside me.

That same year was the first year my sister Maeve was on the school Cross Country team. Not quite two years older than me, I’ve always tried to keep up with her. Once she joined the team, I wanted to join as well, but was too young. My dad let me be the team manager, and I could go to the practices and run with the team, help time at the races and help my dad with whatever he needed. Once I reached seventh grade, I could finally join the team and compete. I have loved my last two years on the team and can’t wait for more. Running has introduced me to so many amazing people from competitors on other teams to my best friends. Highland Cross Country, thank you for all that you’ve given me and all that you’ve made me earn. It’s truly been amazing to be a part of this HP team.

Molly Moening, left, poses for a photo with her best friend and teammate, Celeste Aiden.

The moening girls and Brad moening pose for a photo with state qualifiers Sophie Ristau and Elena Breitenbucher.