Smith Takes Third at Codfish Bowl

In the first of three appearances at Franklin Park this season, the Smith team took third place in the peculiarly named Codfish Bowl.  (Thankfully for everyone involved, there was no seafood feast anywhere near the course.)  The team was helped by huge PRs by seniors Micaela Young and Katie Paulson-Smith.  For the first time (but clearly not last) in her racing career, Micaela broke 20 minutes, coming in thirteenth place with a time of 19:42.  Katie P-S soundly broke 21 minutes for the first time on this course, finishing in 20:43.  Other notable performances include senior Kylee Drugan-Eppich's 20:15 (2nd for the team and a PR on the course), as well as first year Katie Stephens third place finish for the team with a time of 20:20.  Abby finished in 20:59, Katie D 21:01, Victoria 21:11, Cynthia 21:17, Becky 21:54, and Sarah 21:59

As the photos show (thank you Jennifer Dempsey!!), the Smith Pack was in full force during the race.  We also hope to post some video footage soon. 

The team returns to Franklin Park in two weeks for Open New Englands. 

Kylee, Katie D, Cynthia make their move in mile 1.

Merrimack has no chance as she is swallowed by the Smith pack!

Kylee intimidates via speed and super socks

                                     

Cynthia and Katie D

Cynthia charges to the finish

Cool down....

The Smith Pack post-race

Queens!

Katie PS, Katie D (with Queen shirt), and Abby have all received and worn the T-shirt so far this season.  

Smith XC has a traveling T-shirt tradition. The shirt itself is just a white, cotton, Nike tee with the word "Queen" on it and a funky picture of a woman doing something - a jig? ice skating? help me here...I admit I've never really thought about what the figure is doing before.  (Take a look in the above pic and see if you can figure it out.)  After the first meet, Coach Ellen gives the t-shirt to a runner she thinks has earned the t-shirt for effort, spirit, improvement, grit, or over-all awesomeness during pre-season and in the first race.  That runner then wears the T-shirt during Tuesday's hard workout.  The following week, that runner hands off the (clean!) T-shirt to a teammate she believes has earned it for the past week.  In this way, the T-shirt goes from one runner to another and gets worn in every Tuesday workout of the season by different members of the team.  It's just one more way the team stays connected during workouts.

The first bearer of the Queen T-shirt this year was Katie Paulson-Smith, a senior who spent last spring and summer in Geneva through a Smith Study Abroad Program.  Despite being away from home, she kept up her training and arrived on campus for preseason ready to go.  In the first race of the season,  Katie set a huge personal record for the course.  Since then, she has stepped up to every challenge the coaches have given her - way to go, Katie!

Katie handed off the T-shirt to another senior, Abby.  Katie said that the quote that best exemplifies Abby is "Go as hard as you can for as long as you can, and then take one more step."  Abby spent most of the summer healing an injury and started the season still needing to spend more time cross training and less time running.  Bit by bit, though, Abby has come back strong.  Despite low mileage, she has been in the thick of every workout, pushing herself and pulling her teammates along with her.  We are excited to see Abby race for the first time this season on Saturday, Sept 28.

Abby handed off the T-shirt to junior Katie Dempsey.  Last year was Katie's first year on the cross-country team, and it was a transition year for her as she dealt with a few nagging injuries.  This year, however, she has proven herself to be an unstoppable force.  When Abby handed off the shirt she mentioned how much work Katie does not only at practice, but on her own time, too.  The extra effort is definitely showing, as Katie's season is off to a fantastic start.

The team races this Saturday, 11am, at Franklin Park in Boston.  We hope to see you there!

Tough workout, beautiful weather, awesome teammates...and coconut water--this is why we run!

Post-workout triumph!  Abby, Cynthia, Kylee, Sophie, Katie, Danielle, Lotte, Katie, Sarah, Katie, Micaeala.  Shout out to Becky who was sick and couldn't come to practice.

Because the team is not racing for three weeks in September (Smith Invite was Sept 7, and the next race is at Franklin Park on Sept 28), head coach Ellen O'Neil created a workout for this past Saturday that would simulate the effort put forth in a race...and minus race-day adrenalin, it was likely even harder: four miles at tempo, quick rest, then two miles at race pace with only a short rest in between.  Sound fun?

To quote KPS afterwards, "You know, I may be crazy for saying this, but I really enjoyed that workout."  It's true--Saturday turned out to be a lot of fun.  Perfect fall weather + team pumped and ready to run = awesome.  Lotte, who was taking splits for the day until her leg heals, summed it up pretty well: "They killed it." 

Afterwards, Ellen brought out some postworkout treats.  Yum. Warm-ish coconut water has never tasted so good.

Captain Profiles: Abby and Micaela, Senior Year!

After a great start last weekend at the Smith Invitational the ladies have headed into a solid training period. Two hard workouts, a circuit, multiple runs, cross training and one long run later the team has certainly earned a Sunday off to enjoy this amazing September weather! Summer is winding down and its never too soon to get excited for apple picking, cider doughnuts and pumpkin carving.  

This year the Smith Cross Country team is lucky enough to have five amazing senior leaders. Each of the senior athletes has contributed to the teams success in their own unique way. The combination of great personalities and a positive attitude will help drive the team throughout the entire season. Seniors and Captains Abby Mosca and Micaela Young answered questions about a few of their favorite things and what it feels like to be a Senior. Keep an eye out for more athlete profiles! 

MICAELA YOUNG 

1. Major/Area of interest? 

Hi! My name is Micaela Young and I am one of the co-captains for the Smith Cross-Country team. This year I am completing my major in Biology, as well as the minor in Exercise and Sports Studies.  

2. What do you think is the most exciting part of Cross Country ?

For me, the most exciting part of Cross-Country is getting to let your passion show.  This sport is very tough, but when you work for it, when you want it enough, amazing things can happen! 

3. What is your best running moment? 

I cannot express how much I love my team, and getting to work with them everyday! My best running moments happen when we are all in sync, working hard and pushing each other to be the best we can be. As far as our best race moments go, I know that they are still to come.

4. What is your favorite thing to do in Northampton

My favorite thing to do in Northampton is to go out to eat, which on a college budget is hard to do, or just sit in Starbucks and do homework.  Northampton is such a lively and creative place to be, and we are so lucky to be only minutes from downtown!

5. How does it feel to be a senior at Smith !

Ugh, I'm a senior! I have so many feelings right now! I am very excited to move on from Smith and make new adventures, but I will definitely miss the Smith Community and, most of all, my team. What gives me comfort, however, is the fact that we will all be lifelong friends and we will always have each others' backs.  While my future is still not planned out yet (much to my dismay), I know that I want to give back to this sport that has given me so much and shaped who I am today.

6. What is your favorite thing/story about the team?

My favorite thing about the team is the fact that we can all just be ourselves around each other.  We are also really tight outside of practice and share everything together.  I also have so many stories I could share about the team! I won't share them all, but I guess one of my favorite times was laugh/crying together watching Bridesmaids for the first time!

Go Pioneers!

Micaela Young- Left, Abby Mosca- Right 

ABBY MOSCA 

1. Major/ Area of interest  

I’m a math major! And am hoping to complete an engineering minor. I would love to get into Biomathematics after I graduate. 

2. What do you think is the most exciting part of Cross Country?  

I think the most exciting part of cross country is coming together and racing as a team. I love the feeling of working together towards, and achieving a common goal. I also just think cross country races are so exciting because there so much room for things to change from the beginning of the race to the end, so you can never be sure what the outcome will be until everyone is finished.

3. What is your best running moment? 

My best running moment was when we came in 3^rd at NEWMAC’s last year. It felt so amazing to come together and accomplish that goal; especially on our home course!

4. What is your favorite thing to do in Northampton?

My favorite thing to do in Northampton is to get GoBerry! Closely followed by spending Sundays at Starbucks doing work with my best buddies! 

5. How does it feel to be a senior at Smith ! 

I don’t think being a senior has fully hit me yet; it still feels so surreal. But I can definitely say that looking back at it I would make the decision to come here for undergrad again in a heartbeat. 

6. What is your favorite thing/story about the team? 

My favorite things about the team are my teammates! They are a huge part of why I love Smith, why I love running, and they have definitely helped shape me into the person I am today. I couldn’t be more grateful to have all of them in my life.

And of course Sophia is a very close second. :) 

Abby 

Smith Invite Kicks Off the Season

The morning of the Smith Invitational started off on a good note as Smith’s new president, Kathleen McCartney, warmed up the race course for the Smith team; she finished her workout on the track just as the team was arriving.  That’s right: Smith’s new president is a runner!  She returned to the track a couple hours later to cheer on the team to a fifth place finish—not bad considering four runners are injured, and for four runners it was their first collegiate race.  

  Yes, this is what it means to run as a pack!  How many Smith runners can you find in this picture? (Hint: you gotta be on the lookout for Katie D's yellow prewrap-hair band.)

Oh, there is Katie! and Katie...and Katie.  Sarah too!  Yeah, pack!

The team made good on a promise they made last weekend to work together, trust in their training, and trust in their teammates.  The result was some excellent pack running and three personal records on the course.  That’s right: Micaela Young, Katie Dempsey, and Katie Paulson-Smith all set personal records for the tough Smith course during the first race of the season, when legs are tired from preseason and the weather is hot.  

The Smith pack started strong today and continued to work together throughout the race.  Senior Micaela Young and first year Katie Stephens finished within three seconds of each other (20:21 and 20:24), followed by junior Katie Dempsey (21:09).  Fourth and fifth place runners for the team, Katie Paulson-Smith and Kylee Drugan-Eppich, finished within a second of each other (21:24.55 and 21:24.66).  Not far behind were first year Becky Colfer (21:27.34), senior Victoria Dunch (21:48.43), first year Sarah Sutto-Pluntz (22:06.11), and first year Sophie Dilek (22:43.19).

Post-race relaxing, sporting the new team tie-dyes

After the race, families and friends gathered to picnic in the sun, celebrating the beginning of fall and the cross country season ahead. Thanks to everyone who came to the race today.  The team now has three weeks to train (and heal) before the next race on September 28 in Boston.  

Picnic!  

Welcome to the 2013 cross-country season!

More (and better!) pictures coming soon.  We hope to see you at this weekend's Smith Invitational on Saturday, September 7.  The women's race begins at 11am,