By MaryAmbrose

After a summer of hard work and early morning conditionings, freshman Maeve Wharton is off to a strong start to the cross country season. She had never run up until this summer, but it quickly became a part of her daily life. Her training this summer helped her build a base for the season. She ran a minimum of 15 miles per week to prepare her for the season, where she now runs 20-25 miles per week. 

During the first weeks of practice, she quickly began dropping minutes off of her 5K time. She placed seventh at Class of the Metro on Aug. 27, her first ever cross country meet. She ran varsity at the Charlie Thorell Invite in Seward, Nebraska on Sept. 2 and helped Marian win first place. At the Titan Classic Invitational on Sept. 3, Wharton placed third, helping the team finish third overall. 

Wharton has really enjoyed being a part of the team, and has created a lot of friendships through it. She has met girls from every grade who have encouraged her and shown her the positive atmosphere of Marian Cross Country. Though Wharton enjoys a lot of aspects of cross country, her favorite would have to be “the people and the supportive environment.” Wharton said she is excited to see what the rest of the season will bring, and is ready to see what the team will accomplish this year. The Marian cross country team will compete in districts on Oct. 13 and if they qualify, they will compete in state on Oct. 21.