Being involved in running is something that isn’t exactly for everyone. Running is not only physically tough, but also mentally tough, too. Most people might not like running because of those reasons. Some people enjoy running though, like seniors Ulana Richey and Aubrey Doss! While they both are running cross country this year, they each have had a different journey and upbringing with the sport. Though these two girls have different stories about running in cross country, they are part of a team that is very hard working and connects on a greater level.
For senior runner Ulana, she has been a part of the running community for quite some time. “I’ve been doing cross country for six years, but have been a part of Rocky’s Team for four years,” Richey states. It takes a lot of determination and grit to be part of something for so long. “It’s been good being on the team for four years, but also hard, but knowing your work has been paying off from the past years has been rewarding,” Richey says about being part of the team for a while.
Going through or experiencing hardships is not always easy, but there are lessons that can be learned from them all. Ulana states the overall lesson she has learned through cross country is, “I’ve learned that every day, it’s a new day, and that it’s okay to not get a good PR every single meet.”
In contrast to Ulana though, senior Aubrey Doss starts her first and last season of running cross country this year! “This is my first year in the cross country team! I’ve always loved to run, and this year, I finally decided to join,” Doss expresses. Aubrey also explains how even though this is her first year compared to everyone else, she uses it as personal motivation, stating, “It’s definitely hard knowing everyone else has years of experience on you, but it pushes me to work harder.”
Though Doss and Richey may have different long-standing experiences when it comes to running for cross country, one similarity that both girls acknowledged as their favorite part of the sport is their team. “My favorite part of the team is being able to get to know them and have each other to talk to and run together,” Ulana highlights. Similarly, Doss also highlights, “My favorite part is probably the team.”
Like many fall sports, cross country’s “pre-season” is over the duration of summer break (roughly two months). That means they have roughly only two months to prepare for the upcoming season. Doss explains, “We would usually have practices in the morning during the summer to get mileage in, I would usually run most summer mornings with the team”, as her way of getting ready for the running season. In addition to Aubrey, Ulana Richey also states that, “The team prepares for the season by building up mileage during the summer and get back in shape for when the season starts.” Richey also adds, “We do a lot of training during the summer, like going to the weight room and putting in a lot of miles over the summer, and hit mobility training.” Both athletes show their hard work and dedication, and translate it to the running courses that are soon to come!
While both athletes may have a difference in experience, both have worked hard over the summer for this season and can agree on their team being one of the best parts to come out of all the hard work and running!
