It was like a car going down a road at 70 miles per hour (mph), if you weren't watching for it, it would go right past you. This cross-country season did just that. All of the early mornings, packing before a huge race, sitting for hours on a cold bus seat, teammates chatter so loud you can barely hear your music through your headphones. It was gone. It is always odd waking up on a Saturday morning without my alarm clock set for 6AM. This year, I learned how to be a stronger competitor and push myself. I had always lacked feeling confident during my racing and seemed to do "average" compared to what I was capable of. I train hard, but never manage to give it my "all" in a race. Whenever I would considering pushing hard, thoughts go through my mind, as in: "Don't speed up, you'll burn out!" or "Don't start too fast or you'll be worn-out by the first mile!". For a while, I couldn't escape them. Throughout the season, I focused on getting mentally strong and working on my confidence. I would watch YouTube videos to motivate me, read quotes from professional athletes, or look-over previous races I competed in where I set a PR. It took a few races to get back into the sport, but I did it. I remember the happiness I felt when I achieved a new personal record. There's no way to describe the feeling. I will definitely miss this season and all the memories that were made during these eight weeks.
As for my season as an individual, it's not over. This Friday, I will compete at Sectionals at Heritage Christian. This will be my first time competing at Sectionals, even though I have ran Cross-Country for 3 years. I am very happy that this meet will be held on a Friday instead of Saturday, because I would love to finally have an open no-race Saturday. I am hoping to place as an individual and go to State this year. I am very excited, but also filled with nervousness. I hope I will be mentally strong during this race and will be able to compete at a high-level. Placing at Sectionals would mean a lot to me because I have trained hard and have been waiting for this for 3 YEARS!
I hope everyone enjoyed their regular season and will race again next year. As for everyone advancing to their local sectionals, I wish you all luck and a great outcome. The key to success is to believe in yourself. If you are mentally strong, you are capable of anything!
Wish me Luck!