Cross country is the one sport many athletes dismiss or avoid because it requires you to run miles on miles. 

This sport requires you to have a lot of discipline, resilience,patience, and the ability to embrace discomfort. Cross country is a sport that pushes you day by day, making you notice things about yourself you never have. From your physical health to even your mental health, cross country is the one sport that makes you notice those things. As many would walk away from this sport, others take a step forward. And those who take that step forward never forget the community or the great achievements they’ve made without knowing they could do it. Cade Halton a senior cross country and track & field athlete is someone who’s done distance running since 8th grade year.

“I do cross country and track & field, but cross country is my main.” Halton said. “I like to run, it keeps me fit all year round and I’m good at it. I always like having competition and being able to compete on the high level. 8th grade year was my first year, because my 7th grade year we had covid. So I couldn’t do it that year and I was most likely going to do football, which I didn’t end up doing that. I was really good my 7th grade year of track, and just ended out doing that from there on out.”

Throughout Halton’s high school year of cross country he always loved the community. He always looking up to his upper classmates, and even hanging out with the people apart of the cross team. 

“Parker Walion was someone I looked up to, he was cross country junior, senior leader, both my freshman & sophomore year when we won state champion,”Halton said. “He’s always been a leader to me, It’s always been good to look up to him. The community is great, we always hang out every day out side of school. My best friends are on the team so it’s just amazing.”

Over the years, cross country has showed Halton many things about himself he never really thought were important. Cross country is the one sport that Halton will have a strong connection with though out his life.

“Cross country has thought me about how to compete and really dial in on the little things, especially taking care of my body,” Halton said. “And staying in the zone, it helps with my work ethics and school too. Always knowing you wanna do your best. I will be doing cross country out of highschool. I’m looking at the D2 level right now.”