Armuchee Middle School (AMS) cross country teams competed in the Frost Chapel meet on Thursday, September 4th at Berry College and secured second and third place for the boys and girls varsity teams. Both teams have been working to prepare for this meet where they were able to set a great start to their season. This meet included some of the best teams in the region and Armuchee secured top spots among their competitors.
Cross country runners are constantly pushing through tough practices and races in order to become the best athlete that they can be. Members of the AMS cross country team dedicate over five hours a week to improving in their sport through hill workouts, speed workouts, and long distance runs. Cross country is more than a physical sport. Charlie Burger, an 8th grader on the boys varsity cross country team said, “Cross country is a mental sport because you will only get better if you tell yourself to get better.” An athletes’ mindsets plays a heavy role on their ability to set a seasonal record or a personal record (PR) as they must learn to become physically and mentally stronger in order to tackle challenging hills and terrain. If runners are mentally strong, they are more likely to be able to push through pain and adapt to challenges that may arise on the course. A cross country runner might experience steep hills, inclement weather conditions, and injuries, just to name a few. 8th grader Emma Teems, has been a dedicated member of the girls varsity cross country team since her 5th grade year and has seen the effects of how her mindset and mental strength plays a major role in her performance at a race. Emma said, “I was not able to set a PR at Frost Chapel because I went into the race without the best mindset, but I still feel good about my performance because I pushed through the challenging course and made it to the finish.”Although Emma was unable to set a PR at this meet, she successfully finished the race and still played a significant role in the team’s final outcome placing seventh out of sixty seven girls from fourteen different schools across the region.
Not only do they push themselves mentally, but they also face physical challenges during a difficult race. All runners are likely to experience a fall or injury at some point during their running career. 8th grader Eddie Williams said, “When I was on the course, I got tripped by a runner behind me and fell on the rocks. I got up quickly because I knew I wasn’t going to let this obstacle hold me back.” Even though he was faced with a troubling situation along the way, Eddie still managed to finish 7th for the varsity boys. All cross country runners are faced with a situation that requires them to make quick decisions that could affect the final outcome of the race. Emma Teems said, “The biggest challenge for me was when people started to pass me because it was hard to catch them.” Most runners would agree that the finish is the most challenging part of the race as they are physically and mentally exhausted from the rest of the race. Although Emma was tired, she did not let her exhaustion get in the way of her strong finish and helped secure a top spot for the varsity girls race.
Not only does competing in meets help show each runner’s strong side, but it also reveals their weaknesses and the ways in which they need to improve for the next race. Emma said, “The biggest thing that I need to improve for the next race is not giving up when the course gets hard.” All runners can agree that it is challenging to watch runners pass them as they are already tired, but they have to learn to persevere and eliminate any negative thoughts that may be running through their mind. Charlie said, “I need to improve my time so I can hopefully set a PR.” While this goal will take work to obtain, it can undoubtedly happen due to his perseverance and dedication to the sport. No matter how great a runner is, they all have certain parts of their race that they could improve. Eddie said, “My finish is probably what needs the most work.” After a long and tiring race, it can be challenging for some runners to successfully make it to the end. Perseverance and endurance plays a major role in this aspect of the sport. With this skill, runners are more likely to perform better overall at the race, and pass runners during their final stride.
These athletes will continue to improve over the course of their next three meets which include the FCAA Region Championships at Pepperell, and their Middle School State Championships in Bleckley County. Head coach Emily Rich has been a significant part of the AMS cross country coaching staff for over five years and has dedicated an abundant amount of hours to helping her team reach their highest potential. Coach Rich said, “I’m really encouraged by the progress we’ve made, but I also see a few areas where we can continue to grow. For the next race, I plan to focus on pacing strategies and building stronger finishes, since several of our runners started strong but faded toward the end. We’ll also work on hill training and sharpening our endurance during practices to better prepare for the challenges of different courses.” The hard work and perseverance of each runner will help carve the path for the future of their season as they strive for a successful future in the sport for both themselves and their team as a whole.
