This past weekend was our USATF Cross Country Association race. Throughout this season, I’ve been training with only a few other boys in my Bantam division (ages 9-10 years).

One of the things I like about cross country is that even though it is a very individual sport, there is also a fun team part. At every race, your team earns a rank based on a point scoring system.

The results from the Association race determine whether you and your team will qualify for the Regional race. Then, the results from the Regional race determine whether you can qualify for the Junior Olympic Nationals.

What was really cool was just days before the Association race, I was able to gain 2 more Bantam teammates (who are friends of mine) from my school! They are great athletes and runners and I was so excited to hear that they would compete.

Without any special training at all, they came out on Sunday and ran excellent races. They are troopers because the course was very wet from rains the day before and there is a really tough hill in the middle of the course. They not only had fun, but they also helped my team qualify for Regionals which is next Sunday!

Stay tuned… Hopefully we can advance as a team to Nationals!!!

*Update*

We did qualify for Nationals! Unfortunately, however, not everyone could make it to Myrtle Beach so we will not be able to compete as a team 🙁 Hopefully next year we will have another shot.