After missing the state cut last year, the LT girls cross country team has a new tenacious drive to make it this year. With shin splints and over worked muscles, they still persevere and keep running. If the girls cross country team qualifies for state this year, it could be the beginning of another 14-year state qualifying streak for the team.

“We missed the state meet as a team the past few years, so I think our primary goal is to get back to the state meet as a team,” head coach Stetson Steele said.

In order to reach this goal, the girls must endure their two-hour practices, Monday through Saturday. During practice the girls are used to a routine schedule in which they have a certain workout designated for that day.

“It is important to come to practice with a positive mental attitude and being ready to work and train hard,” varsity runner Vanessa Flaherty ‘16 said.

The cross country team was originally ranked 25 in the state, but after performing well in past meets the team is now ranked fifth in the state.

“As a team we have had so many accomplishments that we achieved together,” varsity runner Emily Henkel ‘18 said. “We have bonded and grown as a team not just as runners, but as people.”

After meeting in mid-June for LT’s summer running program, the girls have spent a great deal of time together and have formed a very close connection, Steele said.

“I think there is a strong bond that we always have, but for some reason this years bond is much stronger than in years past,” Steele said.

One of the most crucial elements of being a runner is mental toughness. There are many situations when runners get physically tired during races, and it is their mind that motivates them to keep going.

“There are a lot of good runners out there, but even good and great runners get to a point in the race where mentally it is hard to get through,” Steele said. “The great runners are the ones who can get past the mental block. Good runners are still very talented, but react to the mental block differently than great runners do.”

The path to state is very tedious. First the team must qualify for regionals and then onto sectionals and finally to the state meet, varsity runner Megan Ng ‘17 said.

“I hope in the state meet [the girls] have their best races and I hope they walk away completely satisfied with what they did that day knowing that they put their best selves on the course,” Steele said.