Banquet Dinner

The Pretty Ladies of MUXC

Banquet 2012

The Guys of MUXC lookin sharp

Banquet 2012

No Running

Cross Country and Track is all about running: I live, eat, breath, and sleep it.  Even the runner, however, tires of it every once in awhile.  I am in such a lull, not motivated to go on that 8 miler when it is freezing rain out!  I have found a solution to this problem, I have rediscovered the gym!  Especially spin and yoga classes at the Mercyhurst Fitness Center, since treadmills are not my friends. The spin classes are full of energy and get you sweating like crazy, the instructors are awesome.  Yoga is the needed calm in the storm of classes, tests, clubs and everything else going on.  I have even attempted zumba, and actually had a great time.  So you don't have to run, you don't even have to be on a sports team, to take advantage of all the awesome fitness activities offered in and around campus.  

Running Thoughts

I'm a night owl by heart, I do all of my papers and best projects late at night.  I also have some of my best runs late. Last night I had to take a break, get out, and just run.  As I ran around and past Mercyhurst I was struck by how beautiful it looked, with all the lights and Christmas decorations.  Corny, I know...but it was so pretty!  I feel blessed to be at such a beautiful school that offers such a safe and pretty environment for students.  Trees and wreaths deck the halls in all the buildings, the library is actually comforting with its twinkling lights late at night, and a little cheer is evident when some Christmas music comes wafting through Old Main. The Christmas holiday brings out the best here and its shows everywhere and with everyone, not just in the decorations.  Call me crazy, but I want it to snow at least once before break so I can enjoy a "white Christmas" here on campus!  

 

House Hunters: Cross Coutry Edition

The house hunt is on, Cross Country girls are moving into a house!  Contacting land lords, talking about bills, touring houses, and reviewing leases: big girl status for sure.  We have loved our time living on campus in the apartments, but are looking forward to this next step.  Nothing can take us too far from Mercyhurst campus, we will be less than a 3 minute walk from the school.  The entire process has been a learning experience, and defiantly helped us grow up. I will keep you all updated!

2012 Season Concluded

Mercyhurst Cross Country 2012

 This Saturday we concluded our season at Lock Haven University at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship Meet. The day was full of "personal bests" and a new record for the Men's 10K: the course was flat and fast. I can't believe another season has come and gone, my sophomore racing career is over! No more scheduled practices, no more weekends consumed by away meets, no more pre-race stress, no more smelly van rides: in a weird way I'll miss all of these "negatives", along with all the amazing positives that come with the in-season. But then again, running has no true "off-season": the team will be reunited in a few weeks to begin winter runs. I'm honored to have had such a great team to run with this season, and treasure all the memories we made. Can't wait to hit the roads and trails again soon!

Run Faster.

MCseXC

Sophomore Love.

Spectator Point of View

On this final off weekend before our championship meet I found myself not at a sporting event as an athlete, but as a spectator.  I wasn't watching a cross country race, nor was I watching my beloved football, or a hockey game: I was watching my very first water polo match! On Saturday, Mercyhurst beat Gannon 18-5 in the second game of the title contest for the 2012 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division II Eastern Championship- defending their title from last year.  It was awesome to view a new sport and watch such a great team.  I have total respect for the water polo team: swimming back and forth back and forth, treading water, shooting a ball with soccer-like speed etc. Though I was confused for a good amount of time on why the refs blew their whistles when they did, and all the specific rules, I was completely wrapped up in the game.  I love my sport, I love competing, but sometimes it is refreshing to sit back and just become a spectator for a moment.

What it Feels Like to Lose

This weekend's past race was not the highlight of our season, it was a rough one.  PSAC's is the toughest field: elite runners on the best of teams, on the hardest course in Western PA. We are very lucky to run in this talented field, it is an experience for sure!  All we can do is learn from this race experience and use it to become stronger: we have one more race to kill before the end of the season.  Bad races offer an important lesson though: get back up and try it again.  They can be used to motivate you to do better and work even harder, it is all we can do.  The Mercyhurst team is amazing in this manner, never ever giving up.  I'm so grateful to be surrounded by these people, for I am notoriously negative- but my teammates are slowly changing that.  It feels terrible to lose, but will feel even better coming back stronger and rising above one bad race.