Blogging from the NAIA Championships

Corban's women's cross country team will run tomorrow in its first-ever NAIA National Championship among the nation's best with a chance to show that all their hard work has paid off. (Photo courtesy of Josh Randolph)

LOUISVILLE, Ken. – Follow the women's cross country team's first-ever trip to the NAIA Championship through the eyes of junior Sara Aikin (Lebanon, Ore.), as she will be blogging daily about what is happening in the Bluegrass State.

Thursday (Nov. 16th): Groggy eyed and a little slow we met at the gym at 5:45 am. Whoa early!! Before setting off we took time to pray with our see-off party (thanks guys). Our plane took off at 8:30 and half of us were privileged to sit in the very back row of the plane in the very upright and unmovable seats. (ughhh) The rest of us were scattered through out the plane. I was privileged to sit between two very nice ladies one with an intense southern drawl...so cool. I intended to do tons of homework but fell asleep in the process. The other girls wanted me to tell all of the professors listening in that they actually did do their homework. We had lots to snack on thanks to Carli's mom who packed us amazing goodie bags, our awesome teammates who made us cookies and Thomas Berney who gave us home made dried apples. Our short lay over in Chicago yielded a frantic rush for food. Amidst the horrifying discovery that Ashley's wallet had hopped out of her bag and decided to stay on the plane, Ashley and Coach hustled back to the gate to plead re-entry to hunt for her wallet. After a big hassle and a little panic we heard "Ashley Adams report to the front desk" and Ashley and her wallet were reunited. Praise the Lord! During our second phase of the flight we saw the most beautiful sight. We were soaring closely above a solid layer of cottony clouds as we watched the sun set. The colors were blanketing the clouds in the most beautiful way. Quite a view! We landed in Indiana in the darkness and loaded into the rental van to begin the two hour trek to Louisville. It was rainy and a little windy but when we got to our fancy Marriott hotel we decided to do what runners do best: brave the weather and run. For a late dinner we had delicious Old Chicago take out and we ate together at the motel. We had a relaxing and very late night adjusting to the time change and we were all exhausted by the time we got back to our rooms. The beds are huge and so comfortable. This is an awesome hotel!!

Friday (Nov. 17th - The day before the big race): Awaking to a sunny day and a beautiful view out our fifth story windows, we were anxious to get to the park and run the course. Our 15 minute drive to the park turned into 45 minutes as we hunted for the right road. We all know how much fun it can be to get a little lost and I think the girls would agree that we saw some sweet plantation mansions on our hunt. They were huge with tons of trees...it reminded me of the scene in Remember the Titans when the coach makes the boys run through the cemetery in the wee morning hours. Well, we found the park and were joined by countless other runners doing their before the big day routine. The synopsis of the course: Incredibly muddy!!! The first mile is the worst. Running it today we tried to tiptoe around the mud. Needless to say, it didn't work. Our shoes were soaking wet and a new shade of brown! We are prepared for a vicious race tomorrow with flying elbows, hungry competitors and slippery hills. We're ready. We are going to fight for every inch and leave nothing behind. Before our Regional meet we made blue and gold bracelets symbolizing our commitment to run for our each other. Dan Peterson inspired us with this scenario: Imagine running up a hill. If you are running for yourself, you run to survive up to the top. But if you know that someone is at the top desperately needing you, you will do everything humanly possible to get up there as quick as possible. With the determination that nothing will hold you back. We are going to run like that tomorrow, for each other, our team, our school and most importantly for the one who got us here!

Saturday (Nov. 18th - RACE DAY!!!): The day of the race is always nerve-wracking and this race was for sure no different! Eating on race day is hard because your nervous stomach says no but you know you’ll be starving and weak if you don’t so we ate light at the restaurant in the hotel. We loaded up into the van and as we drove closer and closer my nervous anticipation grew. I did all I could to keep my mind from the inevitable fact that I would be running my guts out in less than two hours. Jumping out of the van into the crisp cool morning air we claimed our picnic table and took off to scope out the trail. Thankfully bark dust had been poured over the super muddy parts which made those spots a little less slippery. Bundled up running side by side the seven of us nervously chattered about the race ahead. We marveled at the fact that we had actually made it to NATIONALS and we were all excited to get started! We reported to the start line fifteen minutes early to continue our pre-race routine. At the five minute count down we circled up to pray and sing our song “We Are One in The Spirit”. This is one of my favorite traditions because it always calms me down and reminds me that I am running to bring glory to God. “Runners to your mark” the flag was raised and dropped at the sound of the gun and we were off. The long line of 250 runners pushed off the finish line in a hurry, every one of us heading toward the narrow path ahead. Intimidated by the fact that I was surrounded by the top girls in the nation I surged ahead with the aim of keeping my teammate Ashley Adams in reachable view. As we rounded the first muddy corner there was no holding back. Are legs were covered and mud was being splashed all around. My previously white spikes were already a dark brown. Ashley started picking people off so I picked up the pace in order not to lose her. With that many bobbing pony tails it’s easy to blend in. I fought to keep her in view for the first mile and a half but lost her as she pulled ahead. At this point I was facing fatigue and doing everything in my power to fight it! Running is so mental and it’s all about how much you are willing to fight! As I passed our assistant coach Scott his encouraging words pushed me along. He reminded me that this is what we’ve trained for all season and that I’ve got to dig deep and run with heart. Pondering these words as I traipsed through the mud, I juiced them for all the strength they could give. Trying to think beyond the pain to run from the heart I set my eyes on a few of the girls ahead of me and was determined to pick them off. This distracts the mind from the pain and seems to make my legs go a little faster. As I rounded the corner with 500 meters to go I dug as deep as I could to find any remaining ounce of energy. I thought of nothing more than pumping my arms and crossing that line. Finishing that race was a beautiful yet painful experience. Breathing heavy and crouched over in pain I let out a shout of joy. Standing motionless I watched the mud covered girls around me. With their bodies screaming exhaustion, each one had this look of relief in their faces. They had run their race. My final race time was not what I had expected so I was a little disappointed but I finished with my heart pumping hard and feeling privileged to have been a part of the first Corban XC team to ever run at the NATIONAL meet!

Sunday (Nov. 19th): Happy to be home after the long and tiring flight back to Oregon I didn’t find much time to catch up on sleep. Due to an immense amount of reading for my Christian Theology class I spent every possible minute on Sunday getting my CT sheet done. My family and boyfriend ended up dropping by and I got to tell them of my adventures in Louisville. Thinking back as I tell our stories I am so thankful for the memories we made. The experience and privilege of making it to and running at the National meet was unforgettable and the bonds and experiences that we shared on the trip are irreplaceable. With the season officially now over I am so proud of my team and how hard they worked and we’re all super excited to have some time off.

To God be the Glory!