MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- As parking spaces filled and athletes chugged sports drinks, 14 different running teams, representing schools from around the region, prepared to compete in the sixth cross-country invitational hosted by the Quantico Middle/High School on Sept. 10, 2013.
At the sound of the starting gun, more than 300 runners began the 3.2-mile event held aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, braving what many consider to be one of the hardest cross-country courses in the division.
“We have one of the most competitive courses because of the hills and the mud,” said Kathleen Rew, coach of the Quantico Middle/High School cross-country team. “This is true cross-country running.”
First to tackle the seven-hill course was the boys’ teams, with one of Quantico’s own athletes, Tyler, sophomore, finishing first in 21 minutes, 22 seconds, James, junior at Fredericksburg Christian School, finishing second in 21:26 and Renn, junior at FCS, finishing third in 22:00.
“I thought the course was difficult due to the hot weather and the hills,” said Thomas, sophomore. “But I’m more confident and proud having climbed those hills.”
Next came the girls’ turn to conquer the Quantico course.
“My daughter started running last year and got bitten by the cross-country bug,” said Valerie Saunders, mother of competitor, Olivia, 15, from Highland School in Warrenton. “She expects to get a better time than last year and pull in some points for the Highland girls.”
Geni, sophomore from Seton School in Manassas, crossed the finish line first in 23:58, Amy from Foxcroft School in Middleburg, finished in 25:11, and Hannah, freshman from FCS, completed the race in 25:35.
Rew said the event was good preparation for the Quantico cross-country team as they looked ahead to the seven events left in the regular season.
“These are the people we’ll be racing all season,” said Rew. “I want the team to see that they can do it.”
Correspondent: samuel.l.ellis@usmc.mil