The strenuous season comes to an end for girls cross country after a challenging yet successful season filled with intense training. 

“One of the things I’m most proud of is how well we’ve worked together as a team,” senior Hannah Lipman said. “Especially during practices and how we’ve pushed through hard workouts together while always encouraging each other.”

Even though the team worked well together, pack running was still a challenge.

“We could work on pack running which would be running more as a team instead of individually and encouraging our teammates to run with us,” senior Gabby Horton said.

After advancing to fourth place at regionals, though, the Kits took on a new strategy in order to compensate for missing runner, junior Hope Leman, and improve their pack running. The coaches wanted the runners to speed up earlier in the race rather than later. The Kits placed eighth at sectionals, and Leman advanced to state as an individual. 

“My goal is to know I did everything I could and left it all out on the course,” Leman said. “I want to run for my teammates.”

Although the season is over for the rest of the team, the girls look forward to supporting their teammate at the state meet in Peoria. The girls had a strong season and will continue to work together during the postseason to further improve on their skills.

“We’re going to keep training hard, pushing each other in practice and incorporating strength routines after practices,” Horton said.