The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Cross Country team is in Joplin, Missouri for the NCAA National Championship. The team will be collaborating to share their experience in a daily diary.
Day 4: November 21st
Today was race day and it was all that we had hoped for. We woke up to a brisk morning, learning that while we were sleeping, Mother Nature got feisty and decided to drop several degrees, oh and snow. This was a major adjustment we had to make to our racing strategy. We needed more time to ensure a proper warm up so our muscles would not tighten up during our race. Upon arrival of the course, we were required to clerk in so officials could check that we had all of our bibs in their proper places, and to make sure our trackers were properly secured onto both shoes. As we waited to be clerked in the fact that 'we were really there' hit many of us. We scouted out the competition and knew we were all in for a fast race. Surprisingly, seeing our biggest conference competitors gave a warming feeling. At that level of competition, the ECC runners ran together rather than competed against each other.
To start the race we were box number three, which we used to our advantage. We were all able to get out of the starting box quickly without being cut off by other runners. Although we have all competed in challenging races at one point or another throughout our running careers, none of us were prepared for how competitive our field was. It truly pushed us to fight past all of our doubts and pains, we knew we had to give it our all. The crowd was tremendous; it was the biggest any of us had ever seen during a race. There were huge fan groups running around so there was always a group cheering as you passed. A typical cross country race will go into the trails and it would be just you and the other runners, this was not a typical race. We did not have time to lose focus, which helped all of us run great times.
We found one another at the finish line and we all were overwhelmed with a feeling of accomplishment. We felt we were representing more than just ourselves and our school, we were representing New York and our conference. It was awesome to be a part of something bigger than we imagined. We accredited much of our success to the bond we formed as a team throughout the season. Viewing our team from last year to this year, there is a visible difference in how we have bonded and become so close. We learned to do everything as a team. There is no better feeling than having one another to lean on after every accomplishment or upset. Everything we worked for fell into place and we could not ask for a better experience.
The team is proud to announce that we are the 31st best Division II team in the NCAA. This was a great start to gaining recognition on a National level and we only have higher goals for the future. Our travel home was relieving. We made the best of every moment and now it is time to relax and recover after a long season that began early this past summer.
~STAC Women's Cross Country
Day 3: November 20th
Today we woke up early for our last practice of the season, which was bittersweet. On our final run through the course before the race, we studied every hill and sharp turn so we are prepared for where to make our moves. The course came to life as we saw all of the teams running around, this kick started our adrenaline making for a speedy run to shake out our legs. The biggest pointer we gave ourselves for tomorrow is sticking together as a team, whether its pushing one another up the next hill or encouraging them as we pass by them on the other side of a loop. Crossing through the finish line we all imagined the crowds that will be lining us tomorrow, we will be anticipating that moment all night. After our practice we rewarded ourselves by purchasing gear that I'm sure we will be strutting around in. It was a nice way to treat ourselves after all of the hard work we put in all season.
After a few hours of relaxation, we prepped ourselves for the banquet. After spending days in practice gear it was nice to look pretty again. We bonded with some of the other teams from across the country, and even Canada, so it will be nice seeing friendly faces on race day. Our guest speaker was John MacDonald, who spoke about the five aspects of a good athlete which were character, conditioning, concentration, communication, and discipline. We realized that we encompassed many, if not all, of theses qualities, which we may have to attribute some of our success to. The atmosphere was encouraging, especially from the famous drum line that played during our meal, and in the world series a few weeks ago we might add. The center jumbotron displayed our school's name, along with all of the others, which put into perspective the competition we can anticipate tomorrow in the 279 runner field. Now that all of the fluff is over, it is time to focus on our race. r all of the hard work we put in all season.
~STAC Women's Cross Country
Day 2: November 19th
Today, the team gathered at the one and only Denny's for a scrumptious breakfast. We made interesting conversation with our hostess, learning about the town of Joplin and what activities there were to do around us. We packed the vans and traveled to the Grand Falls. We scaled and jumped across the rocks and over water, since we always find a good photo opp. The team went to Missouri Southern State University to finally complete a run through of the course, where we will make our last performance. It was there that the reality struck us. We took a moment to appreciate that all of our hard work had finally paid off. After that, we traveled to the local boys and girls club for some enriching community engagement. The experience taught us how something as small as interacting with those children could make such a big impact on their day. We decided to make an early night so we will be prepared for the rest of the weekend.
~STAC Women's Cross Country
Day 1: November 18th
Today we began our journey as a team to Joplin, Missouri to compete at the NCAA Division II National Championship for the first time in school history. It was a day of firsts, some girls have never flown, some girls have never changed time zones, and some girls have never played with pinecones (@Meaghan). We deSPARTed STAC at an early hour but our excitement outweighed our tiredness. Although we may have encountered some airport troubles, we kept a positive and optimistic attitude, the only casualty being a jar of peanut butter. From La Guardia, we had a lay over in Atlanta, Georgia. According to our Snapchat filter it was 70 degrees, but our delicious meal at Buffalo Wild Wings was the closest we got to making it outside of the airport. From Atlanta, we touched down in Arkansas, from which we drove into Missouri and crashed after a long day of traveling.
~STAC Women's Cross Country