After a long season, cross country is coming to an end. The cross country team, led by Coach Ashley Spencer, started conditioning in the middle of  July and has practiced all the way through October. The runners have participated in various meets along with invitationals such as the Youthtowne Clash, the John Sample, and the MAC. Junior high students also were given the opportunity to watch the varsity runners run at WPIALS on October 23. The team’s hard work has definitely paid off this season.

“[I like cross country] because running is amazing and it makes me feel good after a good long run,” Chase Bonaparte (8), runner on the cross country team, said. “[My favorite part of the season was] all of like the training with all of the people on the team.” 

Junior high cross country runners run two miles at meets, and varsity runs 3.1 miles.

“I just really like to run and, you know, I just find it really relaxing,” Isaac Mattern (7), cross country runner, said. “[My favorite part of the season was] probably just like hanging out with kids on the team.” 

Coach Spencer has been coaching for four years and has helped this year’s team learn and grow in pacing and pushing themselves toward the finish.

“My favorite part of the season was watching every athlete grow this year. We had a larger team this year than we have ever had since I have been coaching. Watching the middle schoolers be cheered on and mentored by the high schoolers was also very rewarding,” Ashley Spencer, cross country coach, stated. “I have been a runner since high school, and still race today. Sharing my passion with the athletes, and watching them push past walls they never thought they could brings me immense joy.”

Coach Spencer has a strong love for running and has helped young runners grow for many years through helping them develop a pace and a goal to keep trying no matter what.

“This particular group of runners has me extremely excited for what will come in the next few years. They are hungry to learn, motivated to grow, and act on the coaching we provide,” Coach Spencer said.