Triumph and (nearly) Disaster

 Everything this season has been building up to the Conference Meet, which is where the individual and team standings for the year are determined. This season has seen Bethel improve dramatically. On the men’s side we started our first race at MacPherson College – all the way back at the start of September! – ranked 10^th out of 13 teams. At our high point after our second Bethel Meet, we were ranked 5^th, and I’d spoken about how we might even get fourth at Conference. Unfortunately, it would seem that I allowed myself to get far too optimistic – especially after we performed so decently as a team at the Mid States Classic three weeks ago.

Men's Course Map. 

I should have known that things were not going to be as simple as I thought; the last few weeks have been pretty disastrous for our squad. Our misfortunes probably wouldn’t have affected a larger team as badly – but for such a start up program they were really damaging. The women’s team in particular has suffered from the affects of the coronavirus – some of the girls have had to withdraw from or drastically limit their training in the lead up the Conference. On the men’s side, poor Isaiah was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his hip about 10 days ago, and has been getting around of crutches. He was determined to try and qualify for Nationals, and the doctors said he would get away with running – so he basically had to crutch himself onto the start line and run. To top it all off, both the boys’ and girls’ teams have been suffering from nasty colds – myself included unfortunately.

Our Conference performances didn’t really reflect what we have achieved this season. Both the men and women finished 7^th out of 13 teams. For the women this was a solid result, but for the men it was a big disappointment. Obviously, it was still a massive improvement on what we’d been predicted at the start of the season, but we still lost to teams that we had been beating all season as well. For once it would be fair to say that no one, on either team, had a particularly outstanding run, which is probably indicative of how things went for us. I don’t think we’ve been too a meet this season where someone didn’t lodge a great time or a surprise finish (I had my turn at this at the Mid – States.) However, on the day that mattered most, we just couldn’t find anything.

Awards Presentation 

Hence the name I’ve given to this update – a quote from a Kipling classic no less – because I think it aptly reflects both the teams and my own personal feelings at this moment. It’s really heart-breaking that we couldn’t do what we’d been doing all season at the one meet where it really mattered, but I guess we’ll just have to get over it. It was hard for me personally as well. Going into this race, I not only expected to qualify for Nationals, but I thought I had a solid chance at being the ‘first freshman’ home. I did end up qualifying for Nationals, and I even got an ‘All Conference’ medal. However, my time was really not very good, even though the course seemed to be slightly long. I felt terrible throughout the race, right from the get go, and I just had to try and stick with the runners and get to the finish. It was a disheartening finish to what I think has been a pretty successful opening season – but at least I got the job done.

Not the best I've ever looked in a photo, but oh well. 

Thus, concludes my first cross country season at Bethel – though of course I will be racing at Nationals in April. Even with this final (near) disaster, I’ve had plenty of triumphs. The time had flown by as well; it seems like only yesterday that I was lining up at MacPherson for my first race. I do have a final race coming up before I’m heading home, an indoor track meet. The times ticking down now – I can’t wait to be back on the Wirral for Christmas!

Roll on.