When you think of running competitions, the events that may come to mind are short sprints, medium-length races, or lengthy endurance runs. The Fuquay Varina high school cross country team is the latter of these events as pacing yourself is a staple for the sport. 

For every meeting, the men and women team members run in a 5k which is equivalent to about 3.1 miles. The top five times from each team are counted. The school with the lowest combined times wins the meet. The meets have a total of four different schools run including Fuquay. 

Both the men’s and women’s teams have won a total of two meets thus far and will be looking to continue their winning ways throughout the entirety of the season.

Freshman Brandon Williams is the top runner on the men’s team as his 5K time is 16:41. Senior captains Adilene Garcia-Molina and Jason Labrecque are among the top runners on their respective teams.

“I started running when Covid hit because I wasn’t able to go to soccer practices. I just wanted to stay in shape, but then I fell in love with cross country,” said Labrecque. “I then quit soccer which I played for 10 years to take up cross country and track.” 

The perks of the cross country team don’t just involve getting in great physical shape, it also provides the ability to hang out with friends and meet new people. 

“My favorite part about cross country is being with the team. We’re all really good friends and super supportive of one another,” said Garcia-Molina.

While everyone on the cross country team may have their own unique motives for joining, the whole team is extremely united which allows for everyone to push each other and perform at their highest level.

“My favorite thing about cross country is the team. Everyone is very supportive of one another and they’re the best group of people I’ve hung out with. Even though everyone on the team might be there for different reasons, everyone comes together to unite under a common goal,” said Labrecque. 

The cross-country team has created a great atmosphere for students this year and will be sure to leave a lasting impact well into the future. 

“I wouldn’t be the person that I am or the runner that I am today if it weren’t for them in my life. They are a huge inspiration to me and I hope they see me in the same way,” said Garcia-Molina.