Speedy New York Cross Country Trip

My cross country team and I competed at the Suny Geneseo Mike Woods Invitational at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, New York. We drove up on Friday for the race on Saturday morning. The drive on Friday was very long - a six-hour bus ride with unpleasant smells, changing temperatures and uncomfortable seats. We stopped twice for food and then arrived at the course to do a pre-race run and familiarize ourselves with the course. After that, we went back to our hotel, excited for a big pasta team meal and some relaxation after the long bus ride. We had team meetings with our coach to discuss strategy and paces for both the men's and women's teams. Everyone was getting pumped up and excited for the race. We made sure to get a good night's sleep because race day was approaching quickly and we were all ready to give our best performance.

Race day has arrived. I am prepared to run. The weather is cold and rainy, which will make for an exciting race! The course is flat, consisting of three large loops and a challenging finish. Our plan is to break the race into one thousand meter segments. Instead of tracking our pace based on miles, our coach has instructed us to write down our paces for each one thousand meters, just like we have practiced countless times. After our team prayer and chants, the race begins with the sound of the gun. It starts off fast and the runners quickly spread out. I maintain a steady pace, passing several girls and increasing my speed. Finishing the race is a huge relief and I was only a few seconds away from achieving a personal best. We complete our cool down and soon find ourselves back on the bus for a long ride home. But first, we have one final stop to make.

Our next and final stop is Niagara Falls before we head back home. Even though I've been here before, it's still incredibly beautiful. The weather was cold and drizzly, but my team and I had a great time taking lots of pictures and laughing together. It was a fun and bonding experience. After we finished, we got back on the bus and started our long journey home. We stopped at Chick-fil-a on the way, which was a nice treat. Even though it felt like we were on this trip for several days, it was only two. It was eventful and filled with lots of hours on the road, but we finally made it home. We were happy it was over, but proud of our success in the race and making it through the long bus ride. We all know how brutal that can be. But we did it! As always, GO BEARS!