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.

Never Truly Off

"Off Weekend"= no scheduled practice, no race, no travel time...a break.  The term "off weekend" is a welcome rest time for the cross country team as we get into the final weeks of our season, and are beginning to feel the miles on miles of pounding our bodies into the ground that we put ourselves through.  
Though we have the option and opportunity to go our own ways and do somethings separate for a few days, I find myself still running and eating with my team- even out to eat for a birthday dinner.  Now don't get me wrong, we all have friends outside of the team and spend a lot of time with them and away from cross country...but a special bond is created with teammates who we spend everyday with, a bond that brings us together even during rest periods of no organized practice or events.  I'm in love with this aspect of team, I know my teammates have my back and are always there....even on off days.

Hurst Takes Boston

Home for a few days, home-cooked meals, your own bed, family, friends, relaxing: this is the typical fall break for most Mercyhurst students.  This is NOT the break the Mercyhurst Cross Country team experienced this year.  Instead, Mercyhurst XC took to the road and traveled to Boston, Massachusetts! The 7 hour bus ride was well worth it, the Hurst truly did take over Boston.
Our race was at Westfield Univeristy on Saturday: a course around a wicked field and back into the woods, stiff competition, and hot weather all made for less-than-ideal racing conditions.  Both our Men's and Women's team hung tough and gained great results! The Women's team finished 17th out of 43 and the Men's team finished 19th out of 40, each race had about 500 runners!
After the points were counted and awards given, the team headed into the city.  Quincy Market was our destination.  Here were split into groups and explored, and ate, our way through Boston.  We ate at an Irish Pub, with live music and amazing food, and ran through the rain to the famous Mike's Pastry in the "Little Italy" part of the North End-of course we got delicious cannolis (we run to eat remember!) and decadent hot chocolate.  From here our group, I should say all girls, ventured back to Quincy Market were we spent the rest of the evening shopping of course!  Other groups walked the Freedom Trail, ran through fountains, and ate more delicious food.  Boston did not disappoint, even though our time frame was small.
Riding back to the hotel Saturday night, everyone was smiling and laughing....it was an amazing fall break, XC style.

 The lovely XC ladies of my group at the Irish Pub

 Beginning of Men's race

 Beginning of Women's race

We love food...

Our feelings after the race....MUXC 2012

Fall Down

Running is a sick sport: we go out in the woods, race as fast as we can, push ourselves till we can't go anymore, and then keep on going. Runners, as all athletes, test the limits everyday. When your mind and body don't click, however, it can be detrimental.  Legs weak, body moving in slow motion, mind screaming either to go or quit: this was me the first three races of the season.  It took some time off and me centering myself to get back on track, but it paid off.  This weekend I almost ran my Personal Record and can finally say I am happy with my racing performance. I felt it, I felt strong and fast: I was confident in my training and racing ability.  Sometimes it takes falling off the rails a bit to get you back on track and in gear.  You can say our football team has even done this:  they started off with a loss for the season-opener, but are now on a 4 game winning streak! (Congrats Boys!) The Men's soccer team also had a rough start, but have since then put some wins behind them (including a win this weekend over Millersville).  The Mercyhurst Women's Soccer and Volleyball teams should soon enough get back on track.  Its not all about the win, but the way you get there as well- falls, bad races, bad days, rough practices and all.

Just to share a little about myself and my sport, I've composed a top 10 list of why I run (and why I chose to run at Mercyhurst University):

1. I live for the competition 

• The Division II level offers a great competitive field, without the stressing of a Division 1 setting

2. Team = Family

• Friendship, Love, and Support are all found as we grow together and experience college life.

3. Stay in Shape

• Running everyday...yeah, it's a good workout.  (No college laziness, no freshman 15!)

4. Pushing My Limits

• Running is about taking it to the edge, finding out how hard you can push it and going even farther.  Here at Mercyhurst I am pushed in both athletics and academics, in a perfect balance.

5. Organizes Me

• Practice, races, meetings: all help me keep a schedule and manage my time accordingly.  The craziness was a blessing in disguise, I learned very quickly how to organize and manage my life.

6. De-Stress 

• Classes, Exams, Papers, Projects: college is stressful.  Running offers me an escape to calm down and relax my mind.

7. Travel

• University of Notre Dame; Boston, Massachusetts; New York.....cross country gets us off campus and allows us to see new places! 

8. Involvement 

• Every team has a strong presence on campus and is involved in a multitude of events etc.

9. Personal Goals

• I am constantly challenged, pushing myself physically and mentally: reaching my goals and always striving to be my best.

10. Legacy

• Mercyhurst University Cross Country.  I can say I did it, I was a part of that  team.

BONUS: I love food.

• Run Fast, Eat Well