That's More Like It

My Junior Year was over in Cross Country and I stayed humble and felt I still needed to prove myself as a legit runner!! As the Summer approached, Brandon Heebink, my teacher and coach, helped me with the summer training.  Heebink and Janikula scheduled 2 days a week where our team could get together and run in the mornings during the summer keeping everybody in shape! Obviously 2 days wasn't even near enough for me so I would run 6 days a week (sometimes 7) because I wanted to become a legitimate threat in Cross Country for my Senior Year.  During the Summer I was doing hardcore 2 a days preparing myself for the season to come.  I would do 4.5 miles in the morning and 4.5 miles during the evening HARD.  I would run them around a 6:15 mile pace every time getting me some endurance and speed for the upcoming season! As the Season came I was pumped for the 1st race!! It was a slow race but still ran it in a solid time of 18:50 and being the 1st Watertown Mayer Royal to the Finish line.  That was a great feeling knowing I was like the 5th or 6th runner the year before, most of the runners behind me were ahead of me my junior year!! Norwood Young America's race game and I was excited because it was a fast course and I knew I could run a PR there.  I ran my best time of the season and got a 18:05.  Conference came, it was brutally cold with snow and windy but I was driven to get into the 17s.  I ran my fastest time ever and finished at a 17:20. Sections came and I knew I had a long shot chance to make it to state because that was my ultimate goal, but kept my hopes up high! I didn't run the race well, but it was a great season and some of the best 7 years of my life running Cross Country!  My Mentor Mr. Heebink was a major key why I had such a great season...he pushed me all the time and I knew I could talk to him about anything, being school, or running.  After the Section race, Me and a couple guys plus our coach Mr. Winter told a member of our team that we made it to state who was not at the race because he was injured, we called his cell phone and told him we made it to state, our coach went along with it...he then told the announcer at the school because there was a volleyball game going on, and as he told us, the announcer almost said it at the game, but we told him we were just kidding and he quickly told the announcer!! Good Times!! Great Way to End my Final Year in Cross Country!!!