(Kevin Dustin and Elizabeth Beardsley)

In a sport like cross country, you learn to quickly adapt to your surroundings and push through whatever difficulties you may face. You have not only taught us how to deal with these challenges but also how to come out stronger in the end.

Through the countless practice miles of workouts, long runs, and intervals, you motivated us. You set goals for us and helped us to not just meet them, but exceed them. You never once doubted us. If we ever doubted ourselves, you were the ones there to encourage us. On days we didn’t think we could do that last repeat, or hit that fast time, you were there to get us on the line, giving it every last bit that we had. You always made sure we were ready when it came race day. From our spikes to our timing chips, our pre-race course walks, and pep talks; we were ready to have fun and give it our all.

There’s one thing you told us that will always stick with us. You always said that cross country is a metaphor for life. Through our seasons, we can’t think of a better way to describe the sport we hold so near and dear to us. People who think cross country is “just running” are so far from the reality of the sport. It’s overcoming obstacles. Sticking out that last mile when you feel like your legs are going to give out. Like life, it may not always be fun or easy. At those times, you may honestly feel like things aren’t going to get better. After a bad race, you feel defeated. Just like in life how you may feel after a bad day. It’s hard. As always though, life goes on. You get another meet. More opportunities come. How we come out of these struggles are so much more important than how we define ourselves going through them.

Through our time together, you have taught us how to not only be successful runners but confident and powerful individuals. Through your guidance we’ve learned that there is no goal too high or impossible with hard work and determination. There is no situation that will stand in our way to succeed.

Thank you for everything that you have done to help us become who we are today. Thank you for waking up every Saturday morning, rain or shine, motivating us through weekend workouts. Thank you for all the little things; bringing us snacks for after practice, writing us recommendation letters, having pre-meet dinners for us, the list could go on and on. Thank you for the immense amount of time that you have put into us; at practice, after practice, during the offseason and during your own personal time. Thank you for always having confidence in us when we may not have. Thank you for being there when we were struggling. Thank you for not only helping us in our high school careers but furthering us into our college journey. Thank you for not only being a coach but a mentor, motivator, and friend.

You always told us to be proud of who we are and now it’s your turn. Be proud of the success you’ve helped us achieve. Be proud of the memories and mark you’ve left on us and get excited for the many more individuals to come.

Thank you coaches for teaching us (as Steve Prefontaine would say), “success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.”

Your Seniors,

Michaela Lind and

Blake Ristau