Coming off a summer of daily grueling practices, girls cross country capitalized their down time to gear up for the season. 

“Starting the week after school got out, we’ve had summer running at 6:30 every morning which is optional but a lot of people come to, and I’ve been leading that,” senior Hannah Lipman explained. “We are mostly building up a good base for the season which has included hill workouts, long runs, etc.”

The practices were open to all grade levels including incoming freshmen; however, the bulk of runners are returning team members.

“Besides that, Gabby Horton (fellow senior) and I went to track practice twice a week at night for the first half of summer. Now it’s really just about fun runs and staying in shape for the season,” Lipman said.

Hard work is no stranger to the cross country program. In previous years, there has been a direct correlation between effort and success, including Enyaeva Michelin’s 2nd place state finish two years ago as well as their postseason success last season. Unfortunately, injury can play a role in any season, which can be difficult to work around.

“I think mainly what has happened in past seasons is that we make big goals like the state meet, but injuries and other obstacles throughout the season have caused us to fall short. Running is the type of sport you can see growth in, if you put in the work and do the little things like core and stretching,” Lipman said. “Holding each other accountable has been a strength in the past and is something that needs to continue this season, if we want to be successful.”

This team mentality will be put to the test as they will face multiple competitors at Hinsdale Central on Sept. 7 at 9 a.m.