According to Merriam Webster, team means, "A group of people who compete in a sport, game, etc...". I believe that a team is something more than a group of people who compete in a sport together. A team is truly a family. A group of people that you try to please and would do anything for. I have been on many teams over the years and I am fortunate enough to have made the bonds and relationships I have over the years. Teammates are a source of inspiration to those of us who are fortunate enough to have a team to call as a second family. As a runner, my teammates are the people who encourage me, keep me laughing, are a source of inspiration, and the people who keep me going while logging countless miles together. My team is always there for me and I am grateful to have them there for me every day. This weekend I was fortunate to be a part of something special with my team. Saturday was a day that many of my older teammates have been working towards for years and one that I had devoted myself to over the past year. I was able to be a part of something special this weekend with my team and I will never forget the feeling. I was sitting on the bus listening to music before my race and watching a labrador play in the grass and I was struck with a feeling of gratitude for all that are a part of the cross country environment. It truly is something special. I love sitting and waiting for a meet to start listening to my music and observing the fans running aimlessly around the course, runners stretching, and coaches anxiously awaiting the start of the race.
Someone who is unfamiliar with the sport of cross country may not understand how it is more than an individual sport. Yes, we do run with our own numbers and chase after a personal record, but my teammates and I came together as one group determined to chase after our dreams and do everything we possibly could to achieve them. We stood on the line together as one family prepared to go after something special. We did our final runout and shouted our cheer confidently. During a race anything can happen and we must be able to respond and handle the unexpected. You never know the final outcome until the results are announced and sometimes that can be minutes or a half hour. You just hope that you did everything possible to help your team. My teammates and I put forth our best effort this weekend and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of the team I am. We may not always come out on top, but this moment and race brought us closer together. I am thankful to be a part of this team and to have them as my second family.
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