You’re 10 minutes into your race, almost at the halfway mark. Sweat drips from your face and your muscles ache from the hilly terrain. The race is over three miles, and the only thing to keep you company under the Texas heat is your own mind. It can be your biggest supporter or your worst enemy. On Nov. 1, the men’s and women’s cross-country teams traveled to Southwestern University to compete in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Championship race. Both teams finished on top for the first time this season.
Originally a part of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), Trinity’s cross-country team just joined the SAA, bringing in new competitors and races.
“This is the first time Trinity has ever been outside of SCAC, so it’s a little sad, but I think it marks a new beginning for this team,” sophomore Emerson Voldan said. “Seeing what we’ll be able to do against new people should be fun.”
Coming into the season, the women’s team was ranked fourth in the region, and the men’s team was ranked 10th. Competing against the reigning champions, Berry College, Trinity was considered an underdog going into the race, according to senior Thomas Melina Raab.
“I thought we executed really well and went out there and won in a pretty convincing fashion,” Melina Raab said. “I was really happy to start out SAA tenure with a win.”
For the race, the women’s team runs a 6K, which roughly equates to over three miles. The men’s team runs an 8K, which is almost five miles. Voldan finished the women’s race in ninth place with a time of 23:11. Melina Raab finished the men’s race in 11th place with a time of 26:03 and received an Honorable Mention All-SAA award.
“Cross-country is the kind of sport where you’re working against every fiber of your being,” Melina Raab said. “It’s not about who can feel the best. It’s not about who can feel the most relaxed. It’s all about who can dig deeper in the middle of the race and at the end when it all really matters.”
Cross-country is both an individual and team sport. The race is run solo, but the times and placements of each runner determine the overall scoring of the university’s team.
“I think it is the most rewarding sport you can do,” Voldan said. “I don’t think you’ll find any other bonds on any other teams because you’re all going through such immense amounts of pain together.”
On Nov. 15, Trinity’s cross-country team will travel to Claremont, Calif. for the Division III West Regional Championship. The women’s team, with their highly ranked performance throughout the season, aims to get their first nationals bid since 2017.
“We actually start prepping for races the very first day we practice on campus. We talk through team culture, team goals, commitment and how the team can handle hard days,” Assistant Coach Lauren Loeffler wrote in an email. “If we consistently put in the work, pay attention, listen well and communicate, we set ourselves up for great championship races as a team.”
In two weeks, the race will begin again in California. This time on the west coast, the runners will challenge themselves against their aches and pains, both mental and physical.
*This story has been updated from a previous version with more detailed coverage.
