At 6:00 a.m., most students do one thing and one thing only: sleep; however, this does not include members of the Texas High Cross Country team, who are already up and running, preparing for their next meet.
On Sept. 7, 2025, Texas High held the third annual Tiger Invitational Cross Country meet and represented the school with remarkable perseverance. This meet not only helped the team prepare for the upcoming season, but also for the district meet, the most important race of all.
Every meet brings the Tigers one step closer to district and is vital for the growth of each athlete’s success throughout the season. Junior Cade Burnett joined the cross country team this year and already achieved a 10th-place award in the boys varsity 5k at the Tiger Invitational meet.
“I think [this race] help[ed] me,” Burnett said. “My races get better and better.”
With every win or personal record, runners gain confidence to keep improving. Senior Deja Aubrey won first in the girls junior varsity two-mile and looks forward to the rest of the season.
“My race was good, and I had a really strong finish,” Aubrey said. “I think [this race] will motivate me throughout the season.”
Each race features a unique course, but unlike visiting teams, Texas High athletes were well prepared for this one due to the familiarity of the trail. For the past two weeks, the cross country team practiced on this course, getting ready for their upcoming home meet. Junior Kik Hallenbeck won fourth in the boys junior varsity 5k and explains his love for the course.
“I honestly like this course,” Hallenbeck said. “I think this is my favorite course of every one [we] do because we practice here a lot. It’s very familiar.”
Despite their hard work and knowledge of the course, many on the team struggled with the same physical obstacle: the hills.
“The worst part about the race was the hills and the repetitive nature of the course,” senior Elizabeth Sharp said. “I think if it was a little more shaded and less repetitive, it would be much better.”
However, the hills are only one struggle that athletes face in this sport. Injuries such as strains, sprains and stitches are common in cross country.
“I strained my lower hip flexor in the end,” sophomore gold medalist Duncan Powell said. “I felt like I finished pretty well.”
Even with injuries, rolling hills and tough competition, the Tigers still found a way to persevere and cross the finish line.
“This meet went very well for all divisions,” Sharp said. “It definitely is a confidence boost for some of our meets in the future.”
