Cross Country CIF Prelims

On November 12th at Mt. San Antonio College, the San Dimas Cross Country team competed in the Cross Country CIF Prelims. Both the girls and boys varsity teams came in third place during League Finals, which qualified them to compete in this race. After practicing every day and running countless miles since the beginning of June, all the team’s hard work paid off, and they were able to move on to the next level. It was a big race with teams from across the state, and it was definitely a memorable experience for the SDHS Cross Country team. 

When asked about her experience at CIF, senior Victoria Vargas stated, “I was so nervous to race, I haven’t run in CIF since my freshman year. When it came time to race my teammates calmed my nerves and reminded me to just have fun. The race itself was very difficult. I’m so blessed to have run in CIF for the very last time.”

Freshman Camila Corrales added, “It was very difficult but I’m glad I pushed through. While racing, I just kept a positive mindset and just kept telling myself that I should be proud that I made it to CIF my freshman year. And after I just felt so accomplished. It was honestly super emotional because I thought back on all of the long days of practice and about how hard I worked.” 

This race was a memorable experience for everyone on the team, and it was the very last meet the team would compete in together. Everyone on the team was very emotional, and junior Aster Walker stated, “I was very happy to be with my team, and running with the seniors for the last time didn’t feel real; I won’t get to race with them next season.”

When asked about how she felt about the season coming to an end, Walker said, “My teammates make it really worthwhile, and experiencing the pain of running together brings us all closer. I’ll miss it when I no longer get to see anyone as often as I did because we did become a family. These are bonds that can’t be broken because running connected us, and we stuck to it not because we liked it but because we are a family.”  

This year’s Cross Country CIF Prelims was very memorable for many reasons, and it was a good way to finish the season. Throughout this year’s season, the team was able to make new friends and memories that will last a lifetime. This sport provides the perfect opportunity to become close to other runners on the team. Overall, this year’s Cross Country season is one to remember.