As senior and cross country co-captain Nathan Szubin ran and won the boys division 5k, with a time of 16:41– the second fastest time in Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) history –he repeated the mantra of “earn not given” to help stay mentally in the race. For Szubin, this mantra was about earning his first place finish and the banner the CESJDS team was hoping for.
On Oct. 29, the girls and boys varsity cross country teams both came first in the PVAC, with the boys winning the league for the fourth time in the past five years. The team worked hard to prepare for this race by training hard in and outside of practices as well as taking care of their bodies. Szubin said that this included ice baths, recovery, eating right and hydrating correctly.
This year’s theme on cross country is “small actions lead to big results,” and this rang true throughout finals. According to Szubin, all the small actions the team had been focusing on throughout the season was part of what allowed them to place first in finals.
“The legacy that I want to leave on the team is [what] we started this year [where] we’re not just working hard in training, but also making sure that all the little things [are] … maximizing our performance,” Szubin said.
Senior Jonah Berman, sophomore Isaiah Segal-Geetter, and freshman David Federowicz placed third, fourth and fifth respectively, all finishing within 15 seconds of each other. In the girls race, junior Mia Forseter placed first for JDS, and fifth overall. Forseter was immediately followed by senior Shira Shapiro and sophomore Mali Osofsky, placing sixth and seventh respectively.
According to cross country head coach Jason Belinkie, many runners who do not usually place first or second on the team stepped up, had a great race and took the lead. Belinkie was proud of his team’s ability to work together and motivate each other throughout the race.
“[It was] truly a team effort today,” Belinkie said. “We’ve progressed so much during the season, and the great part about it is [that] it’s been done cohesively … The way our team races is the way that we do our running outside of races, which is we run together, we support each other. We try to play off of each other, and it’s led to a lot of success in racing, not only because they run as a pack, but because they have the right attitude.”
For sophomore and co-captain Eve Sharp, the girls team dynamic helps her stay mentally prepared for races. Sharp says that cross country can be a very difficult and uncomfortable sport, making it crucial that runners find ways to mentally prepare themselves. Sharp said that the girls always excite each other and create a positive environment on the team.
“I think we all just do what we always do every year,” Sharp. “We give our all, we work hard, and we just hope that that pays off and that we can win.”
After coming in second and third in last year’s PVAC finals, Sharp said that this win was especially rewarding after all the hard work the team had put in this year. While cross country is physically and mentally demanding, Sharp said that the team creates a great environment for the athletes where everyone is excited to run and be a part of the community.
Although they have secured a victory in the PVAC, the team is still working towards next week’s state championship race. Belinkie is excited for the meet, and believes his team has what it takes to win.
“I’m proud of this team’s positive spirit,” Belinkie said. “We really care about each other, and I think it’s just a really supportive team environment.”
