District Cross Country Meet

This week was the district cross country meet at Noelridge Park. It was a varsity meet only so I didn’t run. I was going to go watch the meet since it was just up at Noelridge but it was pouring rain after school and I had Spanish club so I decided not to. Later I felt bad that I didn’t go because I knew that my teammates were out there running in the rain and the least I could have done was go out and support them. Unfortunately, they didn’t qualify for state at the meet. I was bummed out when I heard because it’s fun to get to be part of a team that goes to state. We also get to make the state qualifying t-shirts, but that hasn’t happened since my freshman year.

According to JS, one of my friends that went to the meet but couldn’t run because she has two stress fractures, said that they ran really well. We were only behind the 3rd place team by 4 points. In cross country, unlike marching band, 4 points is very little. It is about the difference of two girls moving up two places in the race. I think our coach was bummed that they came so close, but that they didn’t make it. If you don’t know much about cross country, all you need to know is that at the district race, the top three teams qualify for state. We were the fourth team. Each section of Iowa runs a district meet. The top three teams from each of those races will then go onto the state meet. Kennedy did this my freshman year by getting 3rd at Districts which was really exciting. Even if your team doesn’t qualify, but you do really well individually, you can still go to state, without your team. I believe it is the top 15 runners that automatically go to state. I personally think it would be scary to have to go to the state meet knowing you were the only person from your team running but I also know it would be a great achievement.

Overall, I think our team could have qualified for state. I know people say, could of, would of, should of, all day but I really believe it. Our best runner on the team, KM (irunifly), had a really bad cold and didn’t feel good the day of the race. Another one of our really good runners hurt her ankle and she couldn’t compete. I’m sure other teams had setbacks just as we did though. Either way, I am happy the team did so well and I hope they can qualify next year! We also decided what we are going to do for the senior gifts, but I can’t talk about that until after the banquet on Thursday just in case KM reads this post!