The Tiger Cross Country season is in full stride. The Tigers are in the midst of a solid season. After finishing the past three years as state runner-ups, the Tigers are looking to get over the hump and take home a state championship this season. The last cross country state championship for St. X was in 2020.
The cross country team puts in an unbelievable amount of training before the season and during the season to be able to compete at an extremely high level. Senior runner Thomas Weber says that both running and strength work have helped boost the performance of the Tigers’ all season long.
“We’ve stacked plenty of good miles doing threshold work, hill work, and speed work that will lead us to be ready for any aspect of the 5k race,” Weber said. “On top of running, we’ve created an updated daily strength regimen, and we’re constantly being taught to embrace good habits that will carry over into performances.”
Not only do the Tigers have an excellent practice program, but they also have a great culture. Senior runner Vince Rink credits the coaches for building a strong team culture and says that everyone simply enjoys the sport.
“Our team has some great chemistry and our coaches have hit hard on that since the beginning of the season,” Rink said. “I believe everyone on the team enjoys coming to our practices because it’s a good time to be with your friends while training to compete at meets each weekend.”
Although St. X is not the favorite to win the state championship this year according to different teams’ average times, the Tigers’ 5 to 10-mile runs in practice push them to improve every day. According to Coach Yochum, these runs in practice not only help improve skill but also strengthen the bond between teammates, building resilience for the demands of competition.
“Racing for 3 miles is always difficult – whether it takes 15 minutes or 25 – but clinging to your teammates, and pushing them when you’re ready to push, helps you navigate discomfort, and even seek more stress,” Yochum said.
The Tigers will be set up for peak performance at the end of the season, thanks to their well-structured practice regimen. Coach Yochum said that everything they have done this season has been designed to push the team toward the podium finish they are aiming for.
“We will be in a position to have our best race of the year in November because all of our training, over the last 20 weeks, is designed to give us ultimate readiness for the Horse Park and the podium finish we’re hoping for,” Yochum said.
