Written by: Liam Schulte Photos by: Liam Schulte and Jackson Freeman

One of the greatest tells of health is ones stamina. Long cardio sessions have everyone tired at the end, and for good reason. Working hard for a lengthy period of time can exhaust one’s body. Having a high amount of stamina and energy are so important to sports, and athletes train accordingly to compete at their top levels. But, one sport takes this concept to a different level: cross country.

Both men and women in the sport require incredible endurance, and those with the top endurance will succeed the most.

Especially in races five kilometers (3.1 miles) long, it’s a feat to even finish. 

So, we’ve gone into the minds of these amazing athletes, and their perspectives of the challenging sport.

Ryder Jay (10) started running cross country in seventh grade, and has not looked back since. “I love competing and running against other top athletes,” Ryder says. He enjoys socializing with his teammates, and loves having team dinners with his runner friends. This year will be important to Ryder because this will be his first year competing on the varsity team. But his answer to his favorite athlete was the most enticing. “Ben Lee is my favorite athlete”. Ben Lee (10), is also a cross country runner, races on a national stage, and has set many records for his age group, school, and even the nation, such as his 1:57.46 800-meter finish at the 2023 Mickey Dunn Invitational, ranking him as a top-5 800-meter runner in Colorado.

Another runner, Piper Goodenow (9), is another runner for ThunderRidge. She has participated in cross country for three years. “I love the people. It’s a good community to be a part of”, says Piper. “Especially when grinding out several hours in practice and races, it’s great to have people around you to support and cheer you on.” She also plans to play girls soccer at ThunderRidge, who are the defending state champions and will look to defend their crown this year. Her endurance built up from the cross country season will no doubt help contribute to the already strong Lady Grizzly team.

All in all, cross country is an exhausting sport. Running cross country is draining, especially to run in the conditions of the thin Colorado air. But, these kids do it, and do it well. Make sure to cheer them on in upcoming races, and prepare for a big year from your ThunderRidge cross country team.