Throughout the cross country season, runners are used to lacing up for a morning or afternoon run. However, at the Nike XC Town Twilight meet at the LaVern Gibson Cross Country course in Terre Haute, more than 2000 runners raced along a lighted path for a nighttime race. With teams from different states including Florida, New Mexico and California and spectators lining the course, there was not a quiet moment after the shot to start the race.
“The energy at the meet was crazy,” said sophomore cross country runner Aidan Alston.
Alston placed 6th overall in the Boys 5k open, running a 16:40:87 5k. This time was one with which Alston was pleased.
“The time I ran was really close to my PR,” he said. This is especially significant as Alston said this course was a slow one, meaning most runners’ times would be a little slower than normal.
Sophomore Reece Runyan placed 2nd for the Titan team and 146th in the boy’s 5k open. He ran a 18:57.81. Junior Denver Clark placed 3rd for the Titans and 210th overall with a 19:41.61.
For the Lady Titans, junior Molly Spindler placed first on the team and placed 122nd in the girls 5k open. Sophomore Abigayle Steckler placed 2nd on the team and 163 overall and senior Aleah Rexing placed 3rd and 275th overall.
The three senior girls, Bailey Baker, Elizabeth Steckler and Rexing decided to have fun and run the course together because they knew it would be their last normal cross-country race.
“My team and I have looked forward to this race since last year, and I’m sad it’s our last one,” Baker said.
Since it was dark at the start of the race, the girls put on glow-in-the-dark glitter and paint to stand out during the run.
“Even though the glitter gets everywhere on the bus, we still have fun with it,” Steckler said.
PAC and Sectionals are just around the corner for our Titan cross-country team, and the team felt this was a good last race to end their regular season and enter into the postseason.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how our team does at [our] Sectional; I’m hoping to qualify for [the] Regional since it is my last year on the team,” Baker said.
