Set in the historic background of Piedmont Park, the APS cross country championship took place last Tuesday for the running warriors. Established nearly 75 years ago, this race is an important landmark of APS athletics. In the past, the race has been held at Grant Park, near the 1996 Olympic stadium. However the race was moved to Piedmont Park this year, showcasing the park’s sprawling hills and large grass fields. A perfect setting for a cross country race, Piedmont Park presented the runners with a few distinct challenges.
The / Atlanta Track Club (ATC) has been in partnership with APS since 2018, a move that was sparked by the clubs desire to motivate and inspire young runners. Their website showcases that running has a positive impact on young runners, as it teaches them life skills and healthy habits. Consequently, when APS approached the club about partnering together, ATC jumped at the idea, and immediately the relationship was formed.
North Atlanta’s girls and boys teams both finished second behind Maynard Jackson. The boys lost by 12 points and the girls were a meager one point away from tying Maynard. A successful finish on the outside, North Atlanta walked away with the runner-up trophy. An insider view however tells us the team was not stoked about the second place win, disappointed with the final result.
The course was two laps of grass, hills, mulch, and a trace of concrete. Runners completed two laps around the park, bouncing between each surface every few hundred meters. Chock-full of sharp turns, curb jumps, and vicious dowhills, the course challenged runners’ physical and mental strength through every turn. Junior Scottie Brown, the leader of the girls team, said, “This course challenged us in multiple ways, but my teammates and I all agreed that the hills were the hardest part. At the end of the day however, every runner has to deal with them, so you can’t let the hills affect your mindset.”
With the season being far from over, the team is reflective of the past, but focused on the future. The Coach Wood Invitational, Sectionals, and the GHSA State meet remain for the team. All three races are fast and competitive, therefore dwelling on the past would only hurt their chances of success during the rest of the season. “Our performance wasn’t what it should have been, I know we can perform better than that. But we got some big races ahead of us and we are gonna show up for those,” said Junior Arjun Mitra.
The running Warriors have faced mid-season adversity in the form of injuries, mounting pressure, and motivation issues before. A successful rest of the season lies in their ability to overcome that adversity. With racing opportunities on the horizon, how will the Dubs finish out the season?
For individual performances and team scores visit APS XC city championships/milesplit GA.
