Cross country has been very different this year because of Covid-19. We had group practices over summer for a few weeks but had to stop because of the number of Covid cases rising. This caused some inconsistency in our training. We just started practices again, so I am practicing two days a week and running on my own the rest of the week. I have mostly been running by myself but I have gone on a few runs with a teammate or a friend from a different high school. There are general precautions we are taking as a team to ensure our safety. We practice in small groups split up by team. We wear masks and social distance during warm ups and any down time. We split into even smaller groups during our run.
Even though the corona virus has caused many difficulties, I have been lucky enough to find some positives in this time of struggle. A longer training period has given our team the chance to get speed work in sooner and try some new workouts. It will give us plenty of time to build a good base which will be necessary if we only have a few meets. It has allowed me to make some new friends in the running community by running with girls from other schools who I race with often. We can share tips on recruiting and the general stress of being a runner or a senior during this year.
  One of my other worries about this time was the cancellation of the track season because I worried it would affect my ability to be recruited for college running. Fortunately, college coaches were able to use my previous performances to evaluate my running. Recently, I have committed to Saint Mary’s to continue my running career. It was difficult to get to know the coaches and get more information about the school since I couldn’t go in person, however I was able to do this over Zoom and email. I had several Zoom meetings with Coach Kinsey, St. Mary’s head coach. I also met with two of the girls on the team and later a few more coaches all via zoom. The meeting helped me understand where I would fit in on the team, what running in college would be like, and if I felt comfortable with the school. I also used the school’s website and went to information sessions about the school to make sure it was the right fit for me. Once the coaches made an offer, I took some more time to reflect on the decision. Then I made a verbal commitment to the coaches that I would attend the school. I’m looking forward to a strong senior season and I hope to bring home a section title to Christian Brothers.