While the girls are going to state, the boys ended their cross country season two weeks ago at regionals. Preparation for regionals and state meant making changes in practice regiments.

“We’ve taken down the mileage to prevent injuries,” freshman Shaan Kankarla said. “We focus more on speed workouts now.”

By cutting down on mileage runners focus on being able to cross the finish line fast instead of burning out by the end. Although high-stakes races like regionals can be stressful, most runners have their own ways to deal with the pressure.

“You turn your anxiety and nerves into excitement, and you just try to look forward to the races and not get too nervous,” sophomore Olivia Ahn said.

Focusing on positive thinking and negating worries has assisted runners with managing nerves before a race. To push each other towards continuous improvement, coaches and teammates work collectively. 

“[The coaches] really try and make us stick together. We run in pairs, so you can match pace with your teammates, which is what you want to do during races,” sophomore Sophia Puliaeva said.

Working together, teammates bond and support one another by training together to improve as a team. State is an impactful event to many of the runners, and for the first time in 18 years, the girls’ cross country team is going to state. The top runners focus on doing well tomorrow, preparing themselves to finish up their season at state on a good note.

“I think this is going to be such a fun way to end the season. We get to run at an actual cross country course and we’re all together,” freshman Lekha Patel said.