The Woodberry Harrier 2018: Volume 4

Grateful for the Opportunity

When I arrived at Early Camp on August 16, I had no idea that my season would be over less than two months later. Like everyone else, I assumed my season would take me through the final state meet of my Woodberry cross country career. When I rolled out of bed on September 23, after the Fork Union Invitational, I told myself that I was “just sore.” I sacrificed hours of running for biking and aqua-jogging, confident that the soreness would wear off and that I could finally get back to my best form. And then two weeks before the Prep League Meet, an MRI confirmed that my season was over.

I’ve been lucky enough to avoid all serious injuries throughout high school, but this one just happened at the worst of times. I would do anything to put myself on that starting line next Friday, but, as Mr. Hale told me, this was an “act of God,” and I know that resting is all I can do for now.

This sport builds you up and tears you down like no other. My injury has given me plenty of time to reflect on my two years under Coach Hale. I can recall the absolute elation of a great 9- mile run with Parker, and the dread of a miserable timed 10K on a hot country road. I remember all the loops around the field behind the Barbee, wishing that the turn behind the backstop could come a little sooner. But more clearly than anything I remember the starting line at the state meet last year, warming up on the golf course, the fall foliage at its most beautiful, feeling as if nothing could prevent me from running my best race. This is a feeling that can only be felt after a season of hard,

smart training: from long, steady runs on the perimeter trail in 90 degrees to up-tempo strength workouts on the indoor track, and every easy run in between.

 

So I encourage us to look for that feeling on the starting line at FUMA next week. Reassure yourself that you have done your best to prepare yourself for this moment and that the last 3.1 miles of your season will be the best. Be grateful for this opportunity to show everyone the work you’ve put in over the last three months. Nothing is more satisfying than crossing the finish line at the state meet, knowing that you’ve given your entire being to this sport, and finishing without any doubt that you’ve done your best.

--Riley Fletcher ‘19

I have been proud of the guys for hanging together this past week. We talked at camp about the definition of leadership we believed in:  seeing what needs doing and doing what you can. For the injured guys, this has meant, holding stopwatches, cheering, encouraging, and just being there every day all the way to the final stretch.

We had more men standing atop Moormont yelling than we had running, but that made it somehow even more meaningful.  Here they are on top of the mountain after the workout:

And we had six on the line (having borrowed one from JV) for the Prep League Championships on Thursday. Here are the results:

Prep League Championships
Collegiate Complex in Goochland, VA
1 November 2018
5th out of 6 Teams
	Place out of 68	Time
Watt	4th	17:28	All Prep
Garza	18th	18:23
Singleton	25th	19:02	1st race in over a year!!
Mills	47th	20:30
Boney	51st	20:48	Season PR
Agasino	53rd	20:55