By JOSEPH COLLAZO
Hearts pounding, sweat dripping, the boys team darts at the sound of the gun. Heat exhaustion victimizes many of the runners. Pacing themselves throughout the race, the team was seekimg to start their season at a competitive level at the FACA Cross Country Classic in Tampa on Sept. 10.
“I try to get better so I can achieve my goal: trying to help the team get to [the state championship],” said Davis Coleman, freshman.
Coleman ran a 19:55.37 at the FACA Cross Country Classic. He has only been running distance for around four months, which is not long compared to the more experienced runners.
On Sept. 18 in Gainesville, the team ran at the Mountain Dew UF Invitational, with senior Phillips Duncan placing third at 15:41.30. Junior Charles Collins also set a personal record in Gainesville of 18:14.44.
Seniors John-Logan Hines and Phillips Duncan have committed to the University of Florida. Hines holds a personal record of 15:21.29, and Duncan’s fastest time is 15:25.00.
The training required for runners wishing to compete at a high level is long, consisting of many extensive runs that can span up to almost 12 miles. According to the boys, motivation is key to being able to keep up with the other runners as well as to meet expectations of coaches and peers.
This pressure to succeed can tempt even the more experienced runners to quit from the difficulty of the sport.
“I’ve wanted to quit a couple of times when I was a freshman and I was first trying to learn how to [run],” junior Preston Taylor, who has a personal record of 18:56.81, said. “It was tough, but once I got in shape and I learned how to do it, I didn’t want to quit running anymore.”
Inspiration is vital to staying devoted to the sport. Family, teammates and coaches often play a role in motivating the cross country boys, as do famous distance runners like Steve Prefontaine, an American Olympian from the early 1970’s. Either through advice or example, runners gather motivation from various sources.
Most of the cross country team spent a week of their summer training in Colorado. The high altitude means air in the mountains is thinner, making it harder to breath. The training completed at this altitude makes it easier to breathe when running below sea level
in Florida during the season.
Cross country is just as much a mental challenge as it is a physical sport, and on long runs, determination is what keeps runners going, according to sophomore Cameron Stewartson, whose fastest time is 21:04.
“[I keep] telling myself [that finishing the race] will make me a better runner,” Stewartson said. “It pays off in the end. It helps to have a game plan.”
Another strategy Stewartson and Coleman use to succeed is to create a “power playlist” of pre-race music. Their playlists consist of popular artists like Journey, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus and Joe Jonas.
“It really pumps you up, especially the Disney music. It makes you feel good about yourself,” Coleman said.
According to assistant coach Christopher Lee, the younger runners that are just joining are talented and have a lot to offer to the the team.
“We had a solid team last year, and we had a lot of young runners coming in this year complimenting the talent we already have,” Lee said.
The top 12 runners on the team will be heading to New York City to run in the Manhattan College High School XC Invitational on Oct. 9.