It’s dark and cold, and most people are still asleep. Sophomore Erika DeWitt, however, is about to begin her morning run. It’s 5:30 AM.

            “[The hardest part of cross country] is being sore all the time,” DeWitt said. “And waking up at 5:30 to meet before school.”

            Dewitt has been running cross country and track since she was a freshman. She runs about 30 miles a week.

            “I love the reactions I get when I tell people how much we run in practice,” DeWitt said.

            The cross country team runs three miles during a single race, an increase from the two mile requirement of previous years. DeWitt’s fastest time is 19:37. Like many athletes, DeWitt says she has a pre-race ritual.

            “I always, no matter what, drink a packet of honey about 30 minutes before every race for energy,” DeWitt said. “I also recently started writing down my goal time for the next meet on my watch hand so it’ll be a constant reminder to work hard and eat healthy.”

            DeWitt said working hard and eating healthy are key components to succeeding in cross country.

            “I just try to push myself the entire time,” DeWitt said. “If I feel myself settling into a pace, I snap out of it and focus on my strides and breathing.”

            Although only a sophomore, DeWitt said she wants the team to medal at state, and she wants to place individually in the top 10. In addition, she wants to win state her junior and senior year. DeWitt said the sport has already taught her valuable life skills.

            “[Cross country] teaches me to discipline myself enough to push past the onstacles in life such as getting all of my school work done,” DeWitt said. “[My favorite part of cross country is] the feeling of accomplishment after I finish a race because not many people can run cross country.”