GRANTS, N.M. – For Grants High School cross-country runner Emalyn Garcia, improvement goes beyond personal records. As the team prepares for State, Garcia is focused on improving her times, maintaining a positive attitude and encouraging the people running beside her.
After setting a personal record at Saturday’s meet at Albuquerque Academy, Garcia was proud of her performance but felt she could have pushed herself harder. When the race became difficult, encouragement from her teammates, parents and friends helped her keep going.
“My teammates help me improve and work toward the goals I want to achieve in my running,” Garcia said.
Garcia said one thing nonrunners may not understand is the feeling of finishing a race and watching teammates cross the finish line. She described the experience as one where everything else fades away and runners share a feeling that others may not fully understand.
Garcia also finds motivation through Nathaniel Saltclah, a boys’ team runner who finished 21st at the meet. The two discuss their personal-record goals and encourage each other to keep working toward improvement.
She believes Nathaniel’s positive attitude is something the entire team can learn from as State approaches.
“The team can learn to keep a positive attitude, keep pushing yourself and never give up,” Garcia said.
Before state, Garcia hopes to improve her times, earn more personal records and feel proud of her progress. She believes the team can improve by maintaining high energy, working together and encouraging one another throughout races.
“I feel like we all need to stick together and motivate each other when we’re running,” Garcia said.
The GHS Cross Country team will host its home meet on Saturday, October 24. The Meet will take place at the GHS Baseball field and begin with the JV runners starting things off at 9 a.m. The varsity boys run at 9:50 and the varsity girls follow at 10:30.