Bloomington High School North, Nikean, 2010, Page 205

Description:	I Sophomore Sarah Worthman leads a group of runnersthrough Cascades. My favorite course is Brown Countysbecause its flat and shady, Worthman said._. Sophomore Celine Lang does core exercises during practice. She has had trouble with asthma in previous years. Itsstill hard, but I try to push through it as best I can, Lang said.O Senior Mollie Connor squats during a pre-workout weightssession. Surprisingly, I actually like doing weights before aworkout, Connor said. It really loosens me up for our run.Photos by Hannah LukemeyerThe most common running injuries aresevere shin splints or stress fractures. Thegirls cross country team is a testament tothis. Several girls were faced with injuries thathindered their season, one of them being seniorCaitlin McCoy.McCoy began training in August and ranthrough October before a stress fracture in herfibula took her out of the competition section ofthe season.I had to keep pressure off of it. I could only dolow impact exercises in the pool and bike, McCoy said.Regardless of the injury, McCoy never secluded herself from the team. She made a strong effort to attend practices, meets and team dinners.My teammates were disappointed, yet verysympathetic. I knew that I would maintain my fitness in other ways and try to come back as soonas possible, McCoy said.Unable to avoid the fracture her senior season,McCoy was determined to come back from theinjury. She had dealt with stress fractures threetimes before, so the recovery process was nothing new.What made the biggest difference was wearing my air cast and working on not straining mymuscles before they were ready, McCoy said.An injury doesnt have to keep you out for thewhole season. Yes, you have to wait until it healsbut cross training can make a huge difference.Most would find an injury to be completelynegative, but McCoy believes that God placedher in this position to become mentally resilient.McCoys first priority is to live a Christ-centeredlife, but sports have taught her valuable life lessons, and she feels that she is a more enthusiastic person for being an involved runner.Its not a fun place to be, but my faith in Godwas strengthened along the way, McCoy said.I know that what happens is a part of His plan,whether I like it or not.By Samantha Stutsmangirls cross country
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomnorth/id/6427
Collection:	Bloomington High School North

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