Written By: Camila Reyna

The Varsity Cross Country season is in full swing, and the runners are doing amazing in their races. The team’s success has been no surprise, as they have been working hard in practice to improve continuously. A typical practice will start with a warm-up, followed by dynamics, during which the team can bond and talk to each other while stretching. Stretches and dynamics are led by team captains Selena Zhang ‘26, Lucius Liu ‘26, James Ding ‘26, Alexandra Lynch ‘27, and Jack Slovin ‘28. After this, a workout can consist of either a long run of about 30 to 40 minutes or repeats, which is repeating 1000 meters a few times. However, sometimes a practice will include “relays for fun to make practice more interesting,” according to Lynch. Zhang stated, “On Fridays, we hop on a bus and take the 5-minute ride over to Crawford Park to do hill training.” These different workouts help prepare the runners for various conditions they may face during races. 

All the hard work the team is putting into these practices is helping them get ready for their future races. The Cross-Country team has had 9 meets and has 4 more to go. When asked about her most memorable race so far, Lynch stated it was the FAA race at Brunswick, where she got a personal record. She said the race “felt really good and natural” and that she is “really happy with [her] time.” She further elaborated that “since we were all wearing our bright pink tank tops…it was great to see all my teammates cheering me on.”

The Cross- teammates have been keeping each other’s spirits high throughout the season. Zhang stated that she would like to highlight “our strong but mighty girls’ division, as well as Oliver J. ‘30 for being the only 8th grader on the team,” and Lynch praised Emily Hau ‘29 and Zhang. She explained that Hau is “insanely fast. She has broken the school record on a 5K and her pace is amazing. She’s someone I look up to when it comes to my running goals and she always has a positive attitude.” Lynch also added that Zhang has “been on the team since freshman year and she’s been a really amazing captain.” 

Although the team has lost some of last year’s senior runners, Lynch explained, “We’ve gained a lot of amazing runners and that some people are even more dedicated and have been practicing over the summer. Spirit’s really high and we’re excited to see just how much people can improve.” The Cross Country captains have been keeping energy high and have given all the runners multiple tips for long-distance runs. Lynch, for example, said that she has specifically given new runners advice on dealing with shin splints, as it is a common injury, especially among new runners. 

The team has multiple events to look forward to, such as team bonding, which can help bring the team together even more and boost spirit. Senior day, which occurs further on in the season, allows runners to honor the seniors, many of whom have been on the team since their freshman year. The last Cross Country meet is a NYSAIS meet on November 3rd at Van Cortlandt Park Fields. Rye Country Day students look forward to cheering on the cross-country team in their final races of the season.