Guys. I cannot believe that my SENIOR YEAR of cross country is OVER! It was a different season, full of highs and lows, but God was so good and so faithful, and I'm so excited to share with the blog all of the blessings and the lessons. I'm so grateful that I was even able to have a senior season, because if you've been updated at all, you'll know that my entire high school cross country career was tainted by injuries and setbacks, so this season of victory was really, really exciting.

(Also, we have one more week of the relationship series, and next week's post is about qualities you need to have before getting in a relationship! If you haven't already, catch up on last week's post here!)

Cross country is a sport that you have to begin preparing for well before the season even begins, so my journey started during track season of my junior year. I think I made it about two weeks before my shins started hurting again and I took a break, and this cycle continued throughout the summer. My previous cross country coach, Chapman, made an entire training plan to carry me throughout the summer, and I worked through it, off and on.

Once the season began and I finished my training schedule, I worked with my current coach to come up with a plan to get me through the season. My goal wasn't about speed or even varsity, but simply being able to run and not end up hurt. I began alternating days running and biking, in an attempt to continue building my endurance with less pounding. I never increased my mileage above 3 miles at a time, but that was enough to keep me racing.

My first race of the season was a 2 mile race, and I was just happy to run. We all celebrated my first run since being in a wheelchair, and I honestly just wanted to remind myself how badly I missed this. Throughout the season, there were moments in my races when I wanted to quit and hated the sport, but I fought with myself and forced myself to think about everything I would've given to be able to run again. This year was all about being grateful for how far I've come - and that's it. Honestly, it was so much more fun to be able to run and actually enjoy running rather than running to win or fight for a spot. There was no pressure, and that was what I needed this season.

The next race I ran was at Cessna, the race that put me in a wheelchair last season. You can read about the whole thing here, but I was so proud of this race. I wanted to make it a comeback, and I believe I did. I don't think I've ever smiled so much at a cross country races then I did at this one, and that's awesome. I ran my 5k in 25:47, which was right around my goal time.

The week after that, I went to Rim Rock as a cheerleader for my team, and then the week after that, I ran at Newton. My time was a little slower than Cessna, at 26:07 and I definitely didn't feel as good, but still, I'm just so grateful to be running.

Then I raced at League, and it was a great finish to the season. I ran a 25:01, the fastest time all season, and placed 19th. The weather was absolutely perfect, and I went into the race with all excitement and no nerves. I had my favorite people surrounding me and cheering me on, and after the race was over, we had some delicious Mexican food and took a longggg nap. It's so bittersweet that it was my last cross country race ever, but I'm so thankful that I made it through the season with no injuries, and that I raced well. God is so good, friends, and I never thought I'd be able to complete this season, but I DID, and it's all by the grace of God!

Now that cross country is over, I'm really excited to be able to rest, give my body a break, and eventually get back to running for fun. Sometimes it's easy to lose the joy in your sport during the season, but I can't wait to be able to go on a no pressure two or three mile jog, listening to a podcast or spending time with my favorite people. :)

Even though by the end of the season I was pretty physically and mentally tired, I'm so thankful that I got to finish my senior year out on two legs. The Lord challenged me in so many ways, reminding me to have an attitude of gratitude and persevere even when I don't feel like it, but He blessed me in just as many ways, giving me the strength to run and allowing me to worship Him through this sport that I truly do love so much. I learned how to seek the Lord and hear from Him as I ran and biked, and those experiences became so special to me.

Also, I just have to thank everyone who has cheered me on and supported me throughout the past four years of high school cross country. My teammates and coaches, who have yelled and hyped me up whether I was in a wheelchair or on two legs. My physical therapist, Ashley, who helped me get to the point where I could run again. My family, who has shown up to every single race, dumped water on me, and loved me bigger than I could ever imagine. Coach Chapman, who feels like a second mom to me and who has supported me no matter how far away she is. And Koa, who inspires me every day to run and is the only person who can make me smile while I'm racing. I truly believe cross country is a family sport, and I wouldn't be able to do it without all of the people by my side.