Lillian McGill

Running for long distances can be a challenge for many people, but not for senior Lana German. Running can have numerous benefits for the body and mind. Many people don’t have the mindset of a long-distance runner because it takes time and discipline. Being able to run in extreme weather conditions shows how much dedication you have to put in.
Parents, students, and friends have all seen the amount of discipline German has put in throughout the years until she officially joined the team. German tells us what it means to be part of the team and why she decided to join.
“Being a part of the team means that I get to run. I think the reason that I joined the team was for the power of friendship. There’s honestly no other reason that I would want to run,” said German.
The most habitual fear in runners is during the off-season when they aren’t required to train. Most fall out of shape and find it hard to get back into the running mindset when the season starts. German has some advice for this topic.
“I’ve never really done an actual season of cross country, but they run in the summer as well as in the winter, I usually show up although it isn’t required. It’s good to push yourself to go, even if you don’t feel like it,” stated German.
When joining a new sport, most people want to know a little about it from people who have been in the sport for some time. Since this is German’s first actual year of doing cross country she has a few things to say to the people that want to join the sport.
“Usually when it comes to recruiting it’s more towards the rising freshmen, and I don’t want to lie to them, but I feel like the atmosphere comparing middle school and the High School is extremely different. It’s taken a lot more seriously because it truly is an intensive sport to join. I guess you just have to be friendly, support, and cheer them on because they are looking up to you,” said German.
Along with other sports, there are many obstacles that you have to overcome and they can be challenging. The hardest obstacles to overcome are the mental ones, German has had to overcome some barriers and she shares with us how she did this.
“The hardest mental obstacle would be when I’m running in the smoldering heat and my brain is just saying, ‘I’m dying’ and I guess what made it better was when it got cooler. It’s a real challenge to run in the heat for long distances but when it’s cooler outside all you want to do is warm yourself and you can do that by running,” advised German.
When doing any sport, people always have someone that they look up to and it doesn’t always have to be a celebrity. For cross country or any long-distance runners, there are many people that German could look up to but she had someone else in mind.
“I look up to my best friend, Maryn Clausing; she’s the reason I started doing this sport and decided to do an actual season during my senior year. She’s become an outstanding runner throughout the years and in the beginning, I felt like I was a mentor for her. Not soon after, she had surpassed me and I started looking up to her,” said German.
Running long distances requires dedication, resilience, and a strong sense of community. Embracing challenges, whether physical or mental, fosters personal growth and builds lasting friendships. The supportive atmosphere of a team encourages individuals to push their limits and inspire one another, making the journey rewarding for everyone involved.