Over last weekend, filled with dreary weather and intense competition, SPA’s cross-country team tackled the fast-paced races of the annual Metro Invitational in Eden Prairie.

The Metro Invitational differs from most other cross-country meets that SPA participates in; rather than taking place in the forest, the race is held on a flat field, and instead of running one long loop, athletes run three laps of the course. The flat, grassy course seemed deceptively simple compared to the rugged forest trails the team was used to. Without hills or turns to rely on for rhythm, the course disrupted the runners’ set pace. The new terrain also encouraged them to alter their pace as they knew speeding up or slowing down could mean the difference between victory and disappointment.

From warm-ups to the final kick across the finish line, SPA’s athletes and coaches were ready to compete– all of the girls’ varsity team participated in the women’s 5000m, and all of the boys’ team participated in the men’s 5000m.

Sophomore Paloma Good participated in the women’s 5,000-meter race at this invitational. Last year, Good earned All-Conference Honorable Mention as a freshman. She is one of five people on the team who made All-Conference or earned an honorable mention.

The meet kicked off at 9 p.m., the SPA team arrived well in advance, mentally preparing for the race with stretching, dynamic warm-ups, and focused conversation. Good, who has developed an effective pre-race routine described the team’s preparation: “We start warming up an hour before, and we do an easy run, and then we do our dynamic warm up,” Good said.

For those not involved in the sport, running long distances while saving energy to maintain an even pace may sound daunting. However, it is a bit simpler than one might think. “I usually just focus on my breathing,” Good said.

Ben Bollinger Danielson, a history teacher at the Upper School, is the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ cross-country team. “This meet, like every meet, it’s a chance for athletes to continue to sort out their relationships with competition; [they should] race and see how they’re improving,” Danielson said. This approach as a coach allows first time athletes to the sport to compete and experience competition which will develop their understanding of the sport and help them blossom as athletes and a student of the game.

Coach Danielson’s goals for the team extend beyond winning races. For him, it’s about building a strong sense of community and improving connections. “Some kids like to go out and race, and then hold. We are going to support [them] however they want to approach the race” he said.

The women’s varsity team placed 17th out of 23 schools, with some standout performances: Taylor Barkwell placed 51st with a time of 20:18 and Paloma Good placed 81st with a time of 21:16. The boys’ varsity team placed 24th out of the 24 teams, with Finn Miller-Fimpel placing 179th with a time of 19:50.

SPA’s next invitational is on Friday, Sept. 20, at the University of Minnesota. For those looking for some excitement, join the sidelines and cheer on the SPA cross-country team as they continue their journey this season.