The Armuchee Cross Country team kicked off the season at the Ridge Ferry Race, a demanding but swift course. Many runners broke their personal records with pre-season training. Overall, the boys team placed 2nd in the race and Ben Owens came in 4th place out of 161 competitors.
Cross country officially started practice on July 30th, although most runners on the team started practicing at the beginning of summer. In the peak heat, they were able to build endurance and stamina for the upcoming season. Coach Pierce said, “Summer miles bring fall smiles.” Ethan Hernadez, a junior, was devoted to his summer training and it made a big impact. “I’m currently in the best shape of my life,” Ethan said. This year’s 2024 XC team is dedicated to hard work and perseverance.
Most cross country runners’ motivation stems from wanting to reach ambitious personal records. Ellery McClain, a big asset to the team, said, “ I think of where I want to be by the end of the season: top 10 fastest girls in the state. This helps me want to train to be able to accomplish that goal.” Armuchee runners’ goals have always consisted of making it to state championships. Winning titles in the past, they believe they can do it again. Samuel Lindley, one of the fastest runners on the team, has big goals in mind. “I would say I wanna break 15:20 in the 5k and hopefully win an individual state championship,” said Lindley.
Besides winning races, one of the best parts of cross country is running in the fall time. Ellery McClain, a sophomore, said, “I love running during the fall because there are days where the weather is perfect, the leaves are beautiful colors, and the air smells crisp. Running during these days makes me appreciate where I live.” Emelio Hernadez, new to the team, appreciates the health benefits that come from running. It not only has impacted him physically but also mentally in the
best ways. “It has helped me build endurance and face my toughest challenges,” said Ethan Hernadez.
A typical cross country practice consists of fifteen minutes of running to an hour and a half. At the beginning of practice, they start with a mile warm-up, and then they do lines that contain flexibility and mobility exercises. Emily Hernandez, a sophomore, said, “After our warm-up, we start our run, which varies from practice to practice. All the types of runs we do are: recovery runs, tempo runs, speed workouts, long runs, and my favorite, slow runs.”
One of the biggest races in the 2024 cross country schedule is Regions, located in Athens, Georgia. Regions will determine whether they can qualify for the grand finale: State Championship, which is located in Carrollton, Georgia. State is the last race of the season and the most sought-after. In all the years Pierce has coached he believes varsity XC has made it to state 16 times. With the dedication and fast times The Armuchee Cross Country team has, they are guaranteed to qualify for State another year.
