Year in and year out Sandburg girls cross country has to live up to high expectations- and this year was no different. Last year the had fantastic seasons. They made it through conference into sectionals and had two runners qualify for state from there, Brielle Morris and Paige Killen. So this year they went into the season determined to beat last year's results and have an even better season. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to do that due to the state race being cancelled because of the coronavirus. But they didn’t let that stop them.

They started the season not knowing what was going to happen because of Covid-19. Thankfully for them, it was put in the low risk category and they were allowed to have a season. But it hasn’t been the same thing that they have been used to in years past. They had to adapt to the circumstances. The first major change has been with the masks. They have to wear their masks at practice the whole time until they start their run. Then at races they have to wear their masks at all times, again, until they start their run. Once they start they can take it off but once they're finished they must immediately put their masks back on.

The second big change in this year is the social distancing. On buses they want everyone sitting six feet away from each other. At practice, they must stand six feet away from each other at all times. Then, when they start their runs they have been put into the same group of seven girls all year and they are the only ones that they don’t have to socially distance from while running. Lastly, they can no longer have spectators at their meets. This is huge for the girls as the spectators are the main encouragement for them to keep running. They had one race where they allowed spectators and the girls said they could just tell the difference. There was more energy and it motivated them to push harder during their run.

Even while facing all these obstacles, the girls didn’t let it affect them. They had practices 6 days a week for two hours. At some practices they do long run, some of them go up to 12 miles. Other times they have easier days where they do between 30-50 minutes of running. And then other times they have workout days where they do mile repeats, 800's, and short sprints up hills. They do all of these different workouts in order to build up their stamina in races, and clearly it has worked as they have had a pretty good season. In every single dual or tri meet they had they won. They got second at conference which moved them onto regionals where they got fourth. This was then enough to get them to qualify for sectionals. At sectionals they had to face many tough teams on a really tough course.

Even though they didn’t get the result they wanted at sectionals to end the season, they still were very happy with their performance throughout the season. They were able to get in a full season (except the state meet), and they made the most of it. They have a bright future ahead with many very good freshman, sophomore, and junior, and they are looking to come back strong next year in a normal, covid free season.