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It's that time of year...

No, not Christmas. Not yet. (But only 103 days!)

But Cross Country season!


I might have mentioned it before, but I help out with my high school's cross country team by running with the girls at practice a couple times a week. Today was their first home meet!


The home course conveniently happens to be located at the park literally 3 blocks from my house. 


Beautiful!
And this course is HILLY. Two 1.5 mile loops. With two major hills in each loop, plus a few more rollers.


Don't you just want to sprint up this hill? The pic doesn't even do it justice. It's a lot worse in real life.
It's tough. Most of the kids run 2-3 minutes slower on this course than others. I'm not gonna lie, I was glad I wasn't racing today. :)


There is a man who organizes all the meets that take place at this park - and he goes all out. American flags and orange cones line the entire course. The whole course is striped with white paint. For just 38 kids who raced today. (It was only a tri-meet.) 






He even brings old race trophies from his glory days and gives them to the first male & female to cross the line. No worries, he removes the plaque part that usually says what the race was. Heh. And the girls get a trophy with a man on it. They don't seem to mind. Actually, they love it.


And they're off!
My kidd-o's raced well today... it always makes me miss cross country. The late afternoon sun, the wind in your face, the late summer humidity, the brutal hills. The team aspect. Why don't they make cross country leagues for adults, like they do baseball leagues and bowling leagues? That would be so much fun. If I invent this, who wants to be on my team?


And I leave you with a photo montage of... myself. I wanted to get a picture of myself "running" to represent the fact that I was heading out to a cross country meet.


Just the standard glamour shot.

Running while holding a camera? Or just taking a weird picture of my fist.
Eventually I had to teach myself how to use the self-timer. 


Much better... except the whole looking like I'm gonna dive into the ground thing. Maybe that's why my times have been slower lately. ;-)


Question: Did you ever run cross country? If so, did you enjoy it?

Comments

Haha! I love the montage!! Diving into the brick steps probably won't help improve your times... hee hee.
I will so join your xc team!!! I love cross country!!!
And what a sweet course. I want our adult team to race there and I want to win one of those man trophies!!!
So cool!
You're so cute, by the way, in those pics... you're cute pulled back hair and cool sunglasses and pretty smile. I vote you team captain of our new grownups (that makes us sound really old...) xc team.
Ps Thanks for the Christmas countdown! I'm so excited!!!!
Sara said…
Aww thanks! I know, some days I can hardly believe I'm an 'adult' and am in charge of teenagers all day long. I still feel like one myself! Even one of the parents at the meet today told me I should just suit up and hop in the race - no one would be able to tell the difference! haha.
Alissa said…
I will SO be on your xc team! Since we are making the rules, I will hold down the Asian side of the team, you can do the American side. Let's meet in Hawaii for practice?
Sara said…
@Alissa - YES!!! Hawaii would be the perfect practice location!!!
Running Girl said…
Cute montage! I did track in high school, but no cross country.

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