While most teenagers were asleep over the summer at 7:15 a.m, sophomore Micah Baker was hitting the hot summer pavement with her cross country teammates by her side. 

What started out as soccer conditioning in eighth grade turned into a serious passion for Baker, who is now entering her third year of cross country.. She stuck with the sport and continues to improve each season, , most recently running junior varsity and was an alternate for varsity her freshman year. This upcoming season Baker hopes to make varsity this year.

“My favorite memory was definitely the last meet, because I PR’d quite alot” Baker said.”

But that didn’t happen by surprise; every weekday during the school year the cross country team had practice. Practices involved two to four miles a day, plus hill workouts, speed workouts, and interval training. Routes varied through neighborhoods, tracks and trails. 

In addition to running, the cross country team spends time in the weight room a few days a week, focusing on core and leg strength to build endurance through long courses and steep hills.

Summer training is optional, but most runners show up consistently. Every Monday through Thursday, the team meets at Little Mill Creek Park, getting an early start in order to beat the summer heat. 

Even though early runs can be tough, Baker looks forward to meeting people in the morning and bonding before her day begins.

“The hardest part of cross country training is staying motivated,” Baker said.

“Just because during cross country season you see your times and make those times better. But during the summer, there’s not any time you’re comparing to. It’s just you motivating yourself for the season.” Not every run is the same for Baker. Some mornings, every step is a struggle. Other mornings, the miles pass with ease. On tough runs, Baker tells herself: “This is just one bad run.”

She believes it’s just something she needs to push through. On harder days, she focuses on her surroundings, or thinks about anything to distract herself.

Mentally, cross country as a sport can be hard. With no scoreboard or immediate feedback, cross country athletes have to push through and find their own motivation.

“Cross country is an individual sport. It’s a lot easier to blame yourself,” Baker said.

This season, Baker’s personal goal is PR. But as a team, their goal is to get a full girls varsity team. Coaches have been encouraging more girls to join, and the team’s chemistry has only gotten stronger.

“Seeing everyone in the morning makes me so excited to compete this season with my team,” Baker said.