Even when you

mentally think

that you’re

completely

through, you can

push yourself a lit-

tle bit more. "

Runnin' through the woods. The boys' team runs on Swanson Trails over the summer at practice. B. Estlund

-Claudia Cortez

7/31/2015

"

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27Summer practice: building a

team and a running baseCross Country runners prepared for the season and got to know eachother. By:

Before the season began, cross country runners were spending two days a week at practice prepar-ing for the fall. "With any sport you're doing, you have to train before you really go into the sport," assistant coach Claudia Cortez said. "We only have nine weeks of official prac-tice, if you can't do the miles before you get to it, you can't build speed." Some runners took their sum-mer training to the next level and at-tended The Black Hills Summer Camp. "Summer cross country was a great experience," Nolan

Schneider, 12, said. "We ran a ton, went hiking, and even met an Olympic runner." Back at home, summer prac-tices were a team building experience as well. "The best part of summer prac-tice was getting to meet new people and hanging out with my friends on the team, especially when coach

Christians had snacks like popsicles or s'mores," Keondra Wisen-

hut,10, said. The team building was helpful during races, too. “I think with cross country, a lot of people would think that it would be individualized, that you’re running on your own,” Cortez said. "But something I’ve always told them during pep talks is that cross country is so much of a team sport because when you’re out there and you feel like you’re alone, when you feel like you’re the only one running out there, you have to remember that everyone else that’s out on the course is running for you and we’re running for each other.” During the season, students grew as runners and as people. "I feel like our team is really strong because a lot of people did a lot of running over the summer." Wisenhut said.

2. Planks. Summer training is more than just running. Photo courtesy of Craig Christians.

1. Soaking. Black Hills Camp at-tendees relax in The Devil's Bathtub in South Dakota. Photo courtesy of Craig Christians.

3. Running to-gether. A group of girl runners, includ-ing Scarlet Hill, warm up before practice. See con-nection on pg.

10-11 B. Estlund.1.

2. 3.

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